Airy Variance

Airy Variance refers to the fluctuations in the observed size or position of a light source caused by atmospheric turbulence. When light travels through the Earth's atmosphere, variations in temperature and density create irregularities in air refractive index, causing the light to bend unpredictably. This leads to the apparent blurring or jittering of celestial objects like stars, seen through telescopes. Airy Variance quantifies these distortions, helping astronomers understand and compensate for atmospheric effects to improve the clarity and precision of observations.