Astronomical optics

Astronomical optics is a branch of optics and photonics that uses light-controlling components for imaging celestial objects. The most notable example is the telescope. Astronomical optics combines precisely machined lenses and mirrors to reduce any image distortion, and highly sensitive sensors to detect low levels of light.

Featured

News and Views | 07 February 2019

Astrocombs for extreme-precision spectroscopy
- Piotr Roztocki
- & Roberto Morandotti
Nature Astronomy 3, 135-136

Latest Research and Reviews

Research | 12 October 2018 | open

Super-resolution imaging via aperture modulation and intensity extrapolation
- Biao Xu
- , Zhiqiang Wang
- & Jinping He
Scientific Reports 8, 15216
Research | 08 May 2018 | open

Multi-beam array stitching method based on scanning Hartmann for imaging quality evaluation of large space telescopes
- Haisong Wei
- , Haixiang Hu
- , Feng Yan
- , Xindong Chen
- , Qiang Cheng
- , Donglin Xue
- & Xuejun Zhang
Scientific Reports 8, 7272
Research | 13 December 2017 | open

Optical sparse aperture imaging with faint objects using improved spatial modulation diversity
- Zongliang Xie
- , Haotong Ma
- , Bo Qi
- , Ge Ren
- , Xiaojun He
- , Li Dong
- , Yufeng Tan
- & Shan Qiao
Scientific Reports 7, 17513
Research | 27 January 2016 | open

Demonstration of a near-IR line-referenced electro-optical laser frequency comb for precision radial velocity measurements in astronomy

Laser frequency combs emit a spectrum of equally spaced peaks that can provide precise frequency references useful for astronomy. Here, the authors demonstrate a frequency comb using electro-optical modulation, which has a line spacing that is resolvable using grating spectrographs unlike the mode-locking approach.
- X. Yi
- , K. Vahala
- , J. Li
- , S. Diddams
- , G. Ycas
- , P. Plavchan
- , S. Leifer
- , J. Sandhu
- , G. Vasisht
- , P. Chen
- , P. Gao
- , J. Gagne
- , E. Furlan
- , M. Bottom
- , E. C. Martin
- , M. P. Fitzgerald
- , G. Doppmann
- & C. Beichman
Nature Communications 7, 10436
Research | 22 January 2016 | open

Improving sodium laser guide star brightness by polarization switching
- Tingwei Fan
- , Tianhua Zhou
- & Yan Feng
Scientific Reports 6, 19859
Research | 21 December 2015

Hanbury Brown and Twiss measurements in curved space

Hanbury Brown and Twiss measurements on speckle patterns propagating along curved surfaces improve understanding of spatial coherence.
- Vincent H. Schultheiss
- , Sascha Batz
- & Ulf Peschel
Nature Photonics 10, 106-110

All Research & Reviews

News and Comment

News and Views | 07 February 2019

Astrocombs for extreme-precision spectroscopy

Microphotonic frequency combs are chip-based light sources, until now confined to optics laboratories. Improved stabilities usher these devices out of the lab and into high-resolution astronomic spectrometer systems.
- Piotr Roztocki
- & Roberto Morandotti
Nature Astronomy 3, 135-136
News and Views | 27 February 2015

Quantum optics: Gravity meets quantum physics

Quantum physics and gravitational physics remain separate due to the vastly different scales of time and space that they refer to. Now, research may point to links between them.
- Bernhard W. Adams
Nature Photonics 9, 143-144
Research Highlights | 27 November 2014

Black holes: On the lab table
- Maria Maragkou
Nature Photonics 8, 881
Comments and Opinion | 07 November 2012

Turning point: Olivier Guyon

Optical physicist plans to use 'genius grant' to promote search for exoplanets.
- Virginia Gewin
Nature Jobs 491, 291
News | 29 August 2012

China aims high from the bottom of the world

Country plans two world-class telescopes for its Antarctic observatory.
- Jane Qiu
Nature News
News | 28 June 2012

Private foundation plans space telescope

Deep-space mission would hunt for hazardous near-Earth asteroids.
- Ron Cowen
Nature News

All News & Comment

Astronomical optics

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