MagAO-X: current status and plans for Phase II

TL;DR

MagAO-X is a high-contrast adaptive optics system for the Magellan telescope, focusing on exoplanet detection and characterization, with ongoing upgrades to enhance its capabilities for reflected light imaging.

Contribution

This paper reports the current status, commissioning results, and future upgrade plans for MagAO-X, a novel high-contrast adaptive optics system for exoplanet science.

Findings

Successful commissioning in April 2022

Implementation of advanced wavefront sensing algorithms

Development of a comprehensive upgrade plan for exoplanet imaging

Abstract

We present a status update for MagAO-X, a 2000 actuator, 3.6 kHz adaptive optics and coronagraph system for the Magellan Clay 6.5 m telescope. MagAO-X is optimized for high contrast imaging at visible wavelengths. Our primary science goals are detection and characterization of Solar System-like exoplanets, ranging from very young, still-accreting planets detected at H-alpha, to older temperate planets which will be characterized using reflected starlight. First light was in Dec, 2019, but subsequent commissioning runs were canceled due to COVID-19. In the interim, MagAO-X has served as a lab testbed. Highlights include implementation of several focal plane and low-order wavefront sensing algorithms, development of a new predictive control algorithm, and the addition of an IFU module. MagAO-X also serves as the AO system for the Giant Magellan Telescope High Contrast Adaptive Optics Testbed. We will provide an overview of these projects, and report the results of our commissioning and science run in April, 2022. Finally, we will present the status of a comprehensive upgrade to MagAO-X to enable extreme-contrast characterization of exoplanets in reflected light. These upgrades include a new post-AO 1000-actuator deformable mirror inside the coronagraph, latest generation sCMOS detectors for wavefront sensing, optimized PIAACMC coronagraphs, and computing system upgrades. When these Phase II upgrades are complete we plan to conduct a survey of nearby exoplanets in reflected light.