Physics Applications in Next-Generation Optical Telescope Design
Abstract: In my talk I hope to discuss two of the most recent and influential innovations to impact the field of optical telescope design; segmented mirror systems, and adaptive optics. I plan to discuss how physicists and telescope engineers accomplished the once unthinkable task of holding hundreds of mirror segments in near perfect alignment, and how adaptive optics can make real-time wavefront corrections for the constantly changing distorted wavefronts telescopes see. These achievements are due in large part to the application of simple physical concepts in creative ways which we canall understand.