A segmented mirror is an array of smaller mirrors designed to act as segments of a single large curved mirror. The segments can be either spherical or asymmetric (if they are part of a larger parabolic reflector). They are used as objectives for large reflecting telescopes. To function, all the mirror segments have to be polished to a precise shape and actively aligned by a computer controlled active optics system using actuators built into the mirror support cell. The concept and necessary technologies were initially developed under the leadership of Dr. Jerry Nelson at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and University of California during the 1980s, and have since spread worldwide to the point that essentially all future large optical telescopes plan to use segmented mirrors.
Read more about Segmented Mirror: Application, Current Segmented-mirror Telescopes, Proposed Segmented-mirror Telescopes, References
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