The Hubble Space Telescope was remarkable because it was the first time humans could see the universe without the obstruction of Earth's atmosphere. The protective blanket shields us from cosmic radiation. It also obscures light and causes the familiar twinkle we associate with stars. While that effect has made life as we know it possible, it also makes it difficult to see stars and other celestial objects clearly.
Recent developments have changed that forever. A new field called "adaptive optics" has emerged. Here is a brief explanation from the article:
Adaptive optics systems use computers to analyze the light coming from a star, and then compensate for changes wrought by the atmosphere, using mirrors that can change their shapes up to 1,000 times per second. The result: To anyone on Earth peering through the telescope, the star looks like the single point of light it really is.
The reason the atmosphere blurs light is that there are tiny changes in temperature as you go from the Earth's surface up into space. The degree to which air bends light depends on the air's temperature.
With adaptive optics systems, telescopes on Earth can see nearly as clearly as those in space. What's more, you can than can be sent into orbit. The bigger the telescope, the smaller and fainter the objects it can see.
The results are stunning. The images below represent the difference adaptive optics make to a shot of the Galactic Center of the Milky Way.
The use of adaptive optics has allowed for all kinds of new discoveries in astronomy that were unthinkable just a few years ago. In a similar way, what are the new possibilities that we could open up if we could look at our problems in new ways and come up with innovative solutions?
Here is the link to the full article: http://www.npr.org/2013/06/24/190986008/for-sharpest-views-scope-the-sky-with-quick-change-mirrors
No comments:
Post a Comment