Adaptive optics system design and operation at Lick Observatory

An adaptive optics system developed for the 40 inch Nickel and 120 inch Shane telescopes at Lick Observatory is described. The adaptive optics system design is based on a 69 actuator continuous-surface deformable mirror and a Hartmann wavefront sensor equipped with a commercial intensified CCD fast-framing camera. The system has been tested at the Cassegrain focus of the 40 inch Nickel telescope where the subaperture diameter is 12 cm. The subaperture slope and mirror control calculations are performed on a four processor single board computer controlled by a Unix workstation. The configuration is capable of up to 1 KHz frame rates. The optical configuration of the system and its interface to the telescope is described. Details of the control system design, operation, and user interface are given. Initial test results emphasizing control system operations of this adaptive optics system using natural reference stars on the 40 inch Nickel telescope are presented. The initial test results are compared to predictions from analyses and simulations.