Project name and year of start ------------------------------------- what do these numbers tell us?	Brief Description and Status ---------------------------------- no pain no gain?
What is a project?	A project consists of an individual or group engaging in long-term, in-depth activity that results in either new knowledge and/or new artifacts. Successful projects need a good coach (really?). But don't forget: the team plays the game (does it?)!
METIS (2008)	METIS, the Mid-infrared ELT Imager and Spectrograph, is a proposed instrument for the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT), currently undergoing a phase-A study. METIS will be designed to cover the E-ELT science needs at wavelengths longward of 3microns, where the thermal background requires different operating schemes. Our METIS study will illuminate the challenging aspects of background suppression techniques, adaptive optics in the mid-IR, and telescope site considerations. The METIS instrument baseline includes imaging and spectroscopy at the atmospheric L, M, and N bands with a possible extension to Q band imaging. Both coronagraphy and polarimetry are also being considered.
ASTRALUX SUR (2008)	Astralux SUR is a Lucky Imaging System that had its very first observing runs at the NTT 3.5m telescope on La Silla, Chile in July 2008. For more information click on the title in the left column.
GRAVITY (2006)	GRAVITY is an adaptive optics assisted, near-infrared VLTI instrument for precision narrow-angle astrometry and interferometric phase referenced imaging of faint objects. A phase-A study started in June 2006 and the phase-A study report was submitted to ESO on July 13, 2007. ESO STC and Council support GRAVITY. GRAVITY is now (2008) an official ESO second generation instrument for the VLT interferometer.
ASTRALUX (2006)	Astralux is a Lucky Imaging System that had its very first observing runs at the Calar Alto 2.2m telescope in July and November 2006. ASTRALUX is available on the 2.2m telescope as common user instrument starting 1st of July 2007. See also ASTRALUX SUR (2008).
F-Praktikum/ Advanced lab course (2002)	Wellenfrontanalyse mit einem Shack-Hartmann Sensor. Ein Praktiumsversuch für Studenten/innen der Universität Heidelberg. Wavefront analysis with a Shack-Hartmann sensor for physics and astronomy studens of the University of Heidelberg. Verfügbar seit Wintersemester 2002. Available since winter semester 2002. A new DVC CCD camera has been installed during summer semester 2006. The CCD camera is now controlled via a new Linux PC running Open Suse 11.0 (2008).
CHEOPS/SPHERE (2001)	CHEOPS is a High-Contrast Adaptive Optics Instrument for finding and eventually observing extra-solar Planets. A phase A study started in May 2003 and finished at the end of October 2004. As a result of ESO's selection procedure, MPIA will become Co-PI (Markus Feldt) for the VLT Planet Finder instrument. Project runs now under the acronym SPHERE.
PYRAMIR (2001)	PYRAMIR is the acronym for a pyramid wavefront sensor sensible in the Near-Infrared. First light for PYRAMIR at the 3.5-m telescope on Calar Alto, Spain, was in April 2006. The AO system delivered diffraction limited images in K-band while PYRAMIR was sensing the wavefront in J-band. Project finished early 2008.
PARSEC (2000)	PARSEC (Paranal Artificial Source for Extended Coverage) is the acronmy for the Laser for the VLT Laser Guide Star Facility. PDR passed on April 2, 2001. FDR passed end of April 2002. Preliminary Acceptance Europe (PAE) passed in October 2004. PAE for the entire LGSF passed in August 2005. First light of PARSEC was in February 2006. First light of the PARSEC LIDAR facility was in April 2006. Commissioning with SINFONI and NACO continued during the first months of 2007. An international workshop was held in Ringberg at the end of 2007.
MAPS (2000)	MAPS (multiple atmospheric phase screens and stars) is the acronym for an emulator/simulator of atmospheric turbulence with multiple layers and multiple reference sources. Phase Screens and Optics Design finished in Nov. 2002. Phase Screens characterized in the Lab. Optics delivered in December 2004. MCAO/GLAO laboratory set-up finished. Fiber reference plate, motorized phase-screens, and all further required hardware components have been put together. 2006: MAPS is now available as a generic lab-tool for all kinds of AO (and other) instrumentation tests. Optics Express paper published end of October 2006. Project is finished.
AOELT (1999)	AOELT is the acronym for an EU FP5 project titled "Adaptive Optics for Extremely Large Telescopes". Officially started on June 1, 2000 and finished end of May 2005.
SCIDAR (1999)	The acronym for a Data Reduction System for generalized Scintillation Detection and Ranging (SCIDAR) systems. Version 1.0 of iScavenger was released in spring 2002. The project finished successfully in 2003.
MIDI (1997)	The MID-Infrared Interferometric Instrument for the VLTI. In operation at Paranal! Project finished successfully.
ALFA (1994)	Adaptive Optics with a Laser for Astronomy. Under Maintenance. Upgrades (Pyramir) have been installed. The Shack-Hartmann option was decommissioned at the end of 2007.
UKIRT (1993)	The MPIA-UKIRT Project. Finished successfully in 1996.
CHARM (1993)	A Tip-tilt System For Astronomy. Finished successfully in 1996.
TVG (1991)	TV Camera based Guiding and Acquisition Systems for Calar Alto Telescopes. Under Maintenance since 1992! Wow.
last update: 26 February 2009 by Stefan Hippler