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SUMMARY:Optical Interferometry - Daniel Mortimer\, Institute of Astronomy
DTSTART:20200302T184500Z
DTEND:20200302T200000Z
UID:TALK140485@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Robert Asher
DESCRIPTION:'Optical interferometry is a novel observational technique in 
 astronomy which uses the combination of light from multiple telescopes in 
 an array to simulate the resolution of a much larger telescope. Using this
  technique\, interferometers in operation today routinely achieve the reso
 lution equivalent to that of a telescope with a mirror 300 meters in diame
 ter. Giving a spatial resolution approximately 100 times that of the Hubbl
 e space telescope\, enabling some truly unique science.\n\nBuilding an opt
 ical interferometer is no easy task\, in such a system light must be physi
 cally combined from the individual telescopes\, traveling over hundreds of
  metres through a complex optical train to be brought to a common focus on
  a detector the size of a stamp. If that wasn’t bad enough the distance 
 the light travels must be controlled to within one part in a billion\, or 
 roughly the width of a human hair.\n\nIn this talk I will outline the prin
 ciples by which optical interferometry works and highlight a few of the un
 ique science cases only possible by this technique. I will then discuss ho
 w to build an optical interferometer\, using the the Magdalena Ridge Obser
 vatory Interferometer (MROI)\, which I am engaged in developing\, as an ex
 ample. I will conclude by discussing an outlook for the future of optical 
 interferometry'
LOCATION:Bridgetower Room\, Trinity Hall
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