Four lasers fire into the atmosphere

At the isolated Very Large Telescope (VLT) at ESO's Paranal Observatory, the arid desert offers near perfect conditions for observations. However, the atmosphere still distorts light from distant objects, and astronomers often use 'reference stars' with known properties to compare and correct images. But if a suitable star isn't available, the VLT now has a perfect solution - simulate one! The new system of four lasers allows astronomers to create artificial reference stars to improve their results.

Crédit:

ESO/F. Kamphues

À propos de la vidéo

Identification:fk_vlt_dome_laser02
Date de publication:27 avril 2016 11:00
Communiqués de presse en rapport:eso1613
Annonces en rapport:ann16060
Durée:02 s
Frame rate:30 fps

À propos de l'objet

Nom:Laser Guide Star, Very Large Telescope
Type:Unspecified : Technology : Observatory
Catégorie:Paranal

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