Adaptive optics has been under development for well over 40 years. It is an indisputable necessity for all major ground-based astronomical telescopes and is the foundation for laser and wavefront sensor design. Lighter Side of Adaptive Optics is a nontechnical explanation of optics, the atmosphere, and the technology for "untwinkling" the stars. While interweaving a fictional romantic relationship as an analogy to adaptive optics, and inserting satire, humor, and philosophical rants, Tyson makes a difficult scientific topic understandable. The "why" and "how" of adaptive optics has never been more enjoyable.
"Robert Tyson's numerous puns and anecdotes form a continuous stream of silliness that made me laugh and wonder what was coming next ... The technical discussions on adaptive optics are not too deep, but they are really perfect for this type of book. In a very entertaining way, he describes the fundamentals of the technology. For people who are not too technical, it is very understandable, and for people with a background in the science, it's still a fun read."
-Josh Cobb, Optical systems designer and coauthor of Light Action! Amazing Experiments with Optics