TU/e: Improved telescope sees with pinpoint accuracy

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bystander
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TU/e: Improved telescope sees with pinpoint accuracy

Post by bystander » Fri Jun 25, 2010 3:23 am

http://w3.tue.nl/en/news/news_article/? ... 63f1655c18

Improved telescope sees through atmosphere with pinpoint sharpness
University of Technology, Eindhoven via EurekAlert | 24 June 2010
A sharp view of the starry sky is difficult, because the atmosphere constantly distorts the image. TU/e researcher Roger Hamelinck developed a new type of telescope mirror, which quickly corrects the image. His prototypes are required for future large telescopes, but also gives old telescopes a sharper view.

The atmosphere contains 'bubbles' of hot and cold air, each with their own refractive index, which distort the image. As a result, the light reaching ground-based telescopes is distorted. Hamelinck’s system tackles this problem with a deformable mirror in the telescope. Under this ultrathin mirror there are actuators, which can wherever necessary quickly create bumps and dimples in the mirror. These bumps and dimples correct the continuously changing distortion created in the atmosphere. This is of crucial importance to the new generation of large telescopes in particular. Hamelinck: "In principle, larger telescopes also have a higher resolution, but attaining an optimal optical quality is hampered by the atmosphere. Therefore you absolutely need these corrections."

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