Final answer:
Adaptive optics is the technique used to correct atmospheric shimmering, allowing telescopes to achieve sharp focus by compensating for atmospheric distortions in real-time.
Step-by-step explanation:
The technique that can be used to correct the shimmering of the atmosphere, often referred to as atmospheric distortion or seeing, is adaptive optics. This advanced technology employs a small, flexible mirror within the telescope. A sensor measures atmospheric distortions and sends instructions to this mirror up to 500 times per second to change shape, thus compensating for the distortions and focusing the light more sharply. Adaptive optics is notably effective in the infrared region of the spectrum, allowing ground-based telescopes to achieve very high resolution, comparable to the Hubble Space Telescope in the visible spectrum.