The Collaborative International Dictionary
adaptive optics \adaptive optics\ n. (Astron.) an optical system used in some telescopes since the 1980's which rapidly changes the shape of the primary reflecting mirror to adjust for distortions of light which are caused by atmospheric turbulence. By reducing the distortions caused by the atmosphere, telescopes fitted with such optics can achieve a higher resolving power than normal telescopes with static mirrors.
Wiktionary
n. (context astronomy optics English) An optical system in telescopes that reduces atmospheric distortion by dynamically measure and correcting wavefront aberrations in real time, often by using a deformable mirror.
Wikipedia
Adaptive optics (AO) is a technology used to improve the performance of optical systems by reducing the effect of wavefront distortions: it aims at correcting the deformations of an incoming wavefront by deforming a mirror in order to compensate for the distortion. It is used in astronomical telescopes and laser communication systems to remove the effects of atmospheric distortion, in microscopy, optical fabrication and in retinal imaging systems to reduce optical aberrations. Adaptive optics works by measuring the distortions in a wavefront and compensating for them with a device that corrects those errors such as a deformable mirror or a liquid crystal array.
Adaptive optics should not be confused with active optics, which works on a longer timescale to correct the primary mirror geometry.
Other methods can achieve resolving power exceeding the limit imposed by atmospheric distortion, such as speckle imaging, aperture synthesis, and lucky imaging, or by moving outside the atmosphere with space telescopes, such as the Hubble Space Telescope.
Usage examples of "adaptive optics".
They still have a problem with thermal blooming because they haven't learned how to copy our adaptive optics.
I didn't do the code for 'Doom,' unfortunately, but I'm still your man for adaptive optics.
Obviously it was harder for the adaptive optics to focus the image while shooting down through the atmosphere than it was to shoot across or up.
I planned to add other optics to do some image correction and cleaning up but the complete system is simple commercial adaptive optics and software.
Using the biggest telescope on Sentinel Gate and the right adaptive optics, Hans could have actually seen her ship.