Active
GRAVITY (2006) 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. In December 2009 the GRAVITY beam combiner instrument design and development has entered the final design phase (C). In September 2010 the instrument design and development of the GRAVITY wavefront sensor has entered the final design phase (C).
METIS (2008), the Mid-infrared ELT Imager and Spectrograph (ELT-MIR), is a proposed instrument for the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT). It was reviewed in December 2009 by ESO. The decision by ESO is pending on whether METIS will be built or not. However, an E-ELT instrumentation roadmap is available. In the current state, METIS has been designed to cover the E-ELT science needs at wavelengths longward of 3microns, where the thermal background requires different operating schemes. Our METIS study has illuminated the challenging aspects of background suppression techniques, adaptive optics for the mid-IR, and telescope site considerations. The METIS instrument baseline includes imaging and spectroscopy at the atmospheric L, M, and N bands. Coronagraphy and polarimetry have also been considered.
Astralux SUR (2008) 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. So far Astralux SUR was used as visitor instrument during 6 observing runs (July 2008, November 2008, March 2009, February 2010, October 2010, January 2012).
Wellenfrontanalyse mit einem Shack-Hartmann Sensor (2002). Wavefront analysis with a Shack-Hartmann sensor for physics and astronomy students of the University of Heidelberg. 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 (last updated in 2008).
Finished
Astralux (2006) 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).
CHEOPS (2001) 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) 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), the 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), the multiple atmospheric phase screens and stars system, 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) 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. Upgrades (Pyramir) have been installed. The Shack-Hartmann option was decommissioned at the end of 2007. The system is no longer in use.
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.