Comparison of AO and NON-AO Images


IMAGE SET ONE:

AO (3 Hz) ................................... NON-AO

(ST-7 Image segments magnified 2X using IDL)

The above two image segments were extracted from one AO image using 3 Hz corrections (on the left) and a NON-AO image taken just minutes later (on the right). Both images were made on a night when the seeing was only fair ( ~ 2 arc seconds).


In order to get a real comparison of the effects of AO vs NON-AO imaging it is necessary to completely disengage the AO-7 device. Traditional tracking using the drives on the mount creats slow responses as well as backlash effects. Even at SLOW correction speeds the AO-7 provides instantaneous movements and no backlash and contributes to a substantial image improvement. While the best results are obtained under better seeing conditions, some gains of ~10-20% can be realized even on nights of fair to poor seeing. The above images were from a sequence of images searching for a faint fast moving asteroid. In addition to the better star images, there is also an improvement in the limiting magnitude as ween in these comparison images. In the NON-AO image, the 19'th mag asteroid was not to be found.



ANOTHER SET OF COMPARISON IMAGES AND PLOTS


AO SAVES A DAMAGED DRIVE !


In the midst of doing a bunch of asteroid shots this summer I managed to totally demolish a bearing in my clock drive on my GM-200. The damage to the bearing made the drive totally useless without the AO-7 device as the damage created large erratic errors in the drive's motions. However, with the AO-7 engaged even at low tracking rates, the drive was fully useful and my imaging work was not interrupted while the drive was being repaired.


For more detailed plots on the workings of the AO-7 please visit: MORE AO STUFF.
AO MOVIES
All images and text at this site are protected, COPYRIGHT 1996 - 2000 Brad D Wallis and may be used only for personal purposes. These images and text may not be copied or reproduced for any other purposes without the express written consent of the author.

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