Table of Contents

LabAO Alignment Procedure

This page is a work in progress. These procedures are based on notes from Theo on 9/15/2023.

Setting zero for the WFS

This originally was done with a blue LED source in the lab, the same as the ones at the scopes, but I recall Judit felt that the green laser was close enough in wavelength for this to work. Here is the process as I remember it. You will need an engineering version of the LABAOGTK.

Measuring a new Reconstructor

The simple answer is to use the blue beacon after having carefully checked the alignment. This assumes that the focus, as determined by the lab WFS, is correct. This focus includes both the OPLE and the BRT alignments, but since we assume that anyway while observing it's probably OK. Other than that follow the same procedure Matt describes for the scope AO system.

If you don't believe the BRT and/or OPLE are properly aligned (and they probably aren't) here is what I think should be done.

In the past Judit used the two hole mask at the scope and an optical setup in the lab to make sure the beacon was well focused and did this process in reverse. This is indeed ultimately the right thing to do but is more diffult and time consuming, and requires things being calm enough at the scope for the beacon not to move around too much. Also I believe the 2 hole mask at the scopes has been removed in some cases.

As a first step I would suggest trying to get a new reconstructor using the beacon and not messing with the BRT and so on. Then using that reconstructor to get a new flat on the beacon.