Disegni di laser e luce
Nel corso di una limpida notte bavarese, il personale dell'ESO ha partecipato alle riprese di un episodio di ESOcast dedicato all’unità compatta della nuova stella guida laser, qui mostrata in azione all’Osservatorio Pubblico Allgäu di Ottobeuren, in Germania. Sfruttando il bagliore emanato dai telefoni cellulari e la fotografia a lunga esposizione, il personale ha tracciato le lettere “ESO” con la luce, sullo sfondo dell’osservatorio. Appena a sinistra del fascio luminoso verticale è possibile osservare la Via Lattea. Leggermente più in alto dell’orizzonte, sopra l’osservatorio, si può individuare in lontananza la scia tracciata da un velivolo. Il laser ha un potente raggio luminoso di 20 Watt, e per proteggere piloti e passeggeri è stata creata, da parte della Deutsche Flugsicherung (responsabile del controllo del traffico aereo in Germania), una zona di divieto di volo attorno all’osservatorio durante le ore notturne di osservazione.
Le stelle guida laser sono stelle artificiali create nell’atmosfera terrestre con l’ausilio di un raggio laser. Per effetto del laser, lo strato di atomi di sodio che si trova nell’atmosfera, a 90 chilometri di altitudine, emette luce, creando così una stella artificiale nel cielo che è possibile osservare con un telescopio. Usando le misurazioni ottenute rispetto alla stella artificiale, gli strumenti di ottici adattiva possono quindi correggere nelle osservazioni l’effetto di sfocatura dovuto all’atmosfera.
Il concetto innovativo dell’ESO utilizza un potente laser il cui raggio è lanciato con un piccolo telescopio, combinato in una singola unità modulare che può essere montata direttamente su un telescopio più grande. L’idea, che è stata brevettata dall’ESO, sarà usata per dotare il Very Large Telescope (VLT) di quattro unità laser simili. Avrà inoltre un ruolo chiave nelle unità che attrezzeranno il futuro European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT).
Al momento delle riprese, l’unità veniva sottoposta a verifiche prima di essere spedita all’osservatorio ESO di Paranal, in Cile, sede del VLT.
Links
- Episodio ESOcast sulle Stelle Guida Laser
- Ulteriori informazioni sull'unità Laser per Stelle Guida Wendelstein dell'ESO
- Ulteriori informazioni sull’Osservatorio Publico Allgäu
ESO/M. Kornmesser
Riguardo l'immagine
| Identificazione: | potw1306a |
| Lingua: | it-ch |
| Tipo: | Fotografico |
| Data di rilascio: | Lunedì 11 Febbraio 2013 10:00 |
| Grandezza: | 4928 x 3264 px |
Riguardo all'oggetto
| Nome: | Allgäu Public Observatory, Laser Guide Star |
| Tipo: | Unspecified : Technology : Observatory : Facility |
Formati delle immagini
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