Visible AO Observations at Halpha for Accreting Young Planets. Issue Volume 8:Issue S299(2013) (6th January 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Close, L.M.; Follette, K.; Males, J.R.; Morzinski, K.; Rodigas, T.J.; Hinz, P.; Wu, Y-L.; Apai, D.; Najita, J.; Puglisi, A.; Esposito, S.; Riccardi, A.; Bailey, V.; Xompero, M.; Briguglio, R.; Weinberger, A.
• Is Part Of: Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union. Volume 8:Issue S299(2013)
• Page Start: 32
• Page End: 33
• Publication Date: 2014-01-06
• Subjects: Extra-solar Planets, -- Adaptive Optics; Astronomy -- Congresses; Astronomy -- Periodicals; 520
• DOI: 10.1017/S1743921313007734
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1743-9213

Abstract

Abstract: We utilized the new high-order (250-378 mode) Magellan Adaptive Optics system (MagAO) to obtain very high-resolution science in the visible with MagAO's VisAO CCD camera. In the good-median seeing conditions of Magellan (0.5–0.7″) we find MagAO delivers individual short exposure images as good as 19 mas optical resolution. Due to telescope vibrations, long exposure (60s) r' (0.63μ m ) images are slightly coarser at FWHM = 23-29 mas (Strehl ~ 28%) with bright ( R < 9 mag) guide stars. These are the highest resolution filled-aperture images published to date. Images of the young (~ 1 Myr) Orion Trapezium θ 1 Ori A, B, and C cluster members were obtained with VisAO. In particular, the 32 mas binary θ 1 Ori C 1 C 2 was easily resolved in non-interferometric images for the first time. Relative positions of the bright trapezium binary stars were measured with ~ 0.6–5 mas accuracy. In the second commissioning run we were able to correct 378 modes and achieved good contrasts (Strehl>20% on young transition disks at H α). We discuss the contrasts achieved at H α and the possibility of detecting low mass (~ 1–5 Mjup) planets (past 5AU) with our new SAPPHIRES survey with MagAO at H α.