MACAO-VLTI first light: adaptive optics at the service of interferometry
Résumé
The AO department of ESO has completed the design of an adaptive AO system for the VLT Interferometer. Ordering of components, manufacturing and integration took place in 2001 and 2002. The system is built in four copies, one for each VLT. It is installed at the Coudé room and the Coudé train is used as a 'science path'. Only one of the mirrors (M8, pupil conjugated) is replaced by the corrective optics. The 60 elements system should allow a Strehl ratio of ~0.6 on bright sources. Commissioning activities started in April 2003 and the delivery of the 4th system is planned for late 2004. At the time of this writing the first commissioning of the first MACAO has been completed and results are encouraging. The integration and test phase of the 2nd system is in full swing.