The Multi-Conjugate Adaptive Optics Demonstrator (MAD) is a prototype MCAO system which aims to demonstrate in the laboratory and on sky the feasibility of different MCAO image reconstruction and correction techniques in view of future applications with the 2nd Generation VLT Instruments and E-ELT instrumentation.

MAD is designed to perform wide field of view (FoV) adaptive optics correction in K band (2.2 um) over 2 arcmin on the sky by using relatively bright (mv < 12) Natural Guide Stars. The MCAO correction is implemented by using two Deformable Mirrors, one optically conjugated at the telescope pupil (ground layer turbulence correction) and the second one conjugated at 8.5 Km above the telescope aperture for the correction of the field anisoplanatism. The wavefront sensor actually installed on the MAD is based on three Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensors allowing to pick-up three natural guide stars on the full 2 arcmin FoV (round). A second type of wavefront sensor called Layer Oriented will be installed and operated during the last demonstration run planned for late September 2007.

The MAD infrared imager is a 1 arcmin FoV infrared camera (CAmera for MCAO, CAMCAO) scanning the MAD 2 arcmin FoV (round). The characteristics of CAMCAO are the following:

- IR detector format: 2048 x 2048 pixels
- Pixel size: 28.0 mas
- FoV: 58 arcsec
- Broadband Filters: J, H, Ks
- Narrowband Filters (FWHM ~25 nm): Bracket-Gamma (2.166 um) and adjacent continuum (2.144 um)
- Orientation: North Up, East Right

For more detailed information on MAD project look at the MAD webpage.

After an extended period of laboratory testing MAD has been installed at the VLT Melipal Nasmyth focus for performing on sky demonstration runs.
MAD has successfully completed the first on-sky demonstration run (March 26th - April 5th 2007) showing the large improvement in image sharpening on 2 arcmin FoV provided by the MCAO correction technique (see ESO Press Release 19/07). The observations obtained on the sky with MAD are very useful to evaluate the potential of the MCAO observing modes and have a scientific value because of their unique angular resolution. For this reason ESO has decided to make a public release of one data package as specified below.

Warning: MAD is a prototype and the data FITS headers could be incomplete and non homogeneous. The released data package is not calibrated and contains raw images with related sky (when needed) to allow background subtraction. Moreover data from a photometric standard for all the used filters have been included.

If these data will be used for publications, please acknowledge that the results are based on  observations obtained with the MCAO Demonstrator at the VLT Melipal Nasmyth focus (ESO public data release).

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The MAD data public release consists of the following targets (coordinates at J2000.0):

Globular Cluster Omega Centauri (RA: 13 26 43, DEC: -47 29 48)

Package name & description	Data Description	Download
MAD_OC.2007-05-11	raw images, J, K, BrGamma & relates skies

Orion Trapezium (RA: 05 35 16, DEC: -05 23 14)

Package name & description	Data Description	Download
MAD_TR.2007-05-11	raw images, J, H, K, BrGamma

M16 - Eagle Nebula (RA: 18 18 53, DEC: -13 48 54)

Package name & description	Data Description	Download
MAD_M16.2007-05-11	raw images, J, H, K & relates skies

UKIRT/HST photometric standard: S372-S (RA: 09 15 50, DEC: -36 32 34)

Package name & description	Data Description	Download
MAD_S372S.2007-05-11	raw images, J, H, K, BrGamma