Patent ID: 7280193

Claim:
A method for distinguishing a target image from speckles due to mirror imperfections in a stellar coronagraph, the method comprising: receiving, in a primary mirror, reflected light from a distant target planet and stellar radiation from a star system near the target planet; removing the stellar radiation from consideration using stellar coronagraph principles; forming an image of the target planet, in combination with unwanted speckle images caused by imperfections in the primary mirror; generating a surface wave in the primary mirror at a controllable spatial wavelength; varying the spatial wavelength of the induced surface wave to match or approximately match the spatial wavelength of at least one surface deformation in the primary mirror, wherein the speckle image corresponding to the at least one matched surface deformation twinkles as a result of the traveling surface wave; and eliminating the at least one matched speckle image from consideration in forming the image of the target planet.