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Airy disk

Description

In optics, the Airy disk (or Airy disc) and Airy pattern are descriptions of the best focused spot of light that a perfect lens with a circular aperture can make, limited by the diffraction of light.The diffraction pattern resulting from a uniformly-illuminated circular aperture has a bright region in the center, known as the Airy disk which together with the series of concentric bright rings around is called the Airy pattern. Far away from the aperture, the angle at which the first minimum occurs, measured from the direction of incoming light, is depended of the wavelength of the light and the diameter of the aperture.

Related formulas

Variables

θThe angle at which the first minimum occurs (radians)
λThe wavelength of the light (inches)
dThe diameter of the aperture (inches)