A New Planet-Hunting Instrument Has Been Installed on the Very Large Telescope
A new study shows how existing observatories like the ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) can be upgraded to perform cutting-edge astronomy
Asteroid Explodes Over Canada, Artemis I Updates, Very Large Telescope Improvements
Updates on Artemis I. NASA predicted an asteroid striking Canada. James Webb’s view of Titan. New adaptive optics for the Very Large Telescope.
A New Instrument Gives the Very Large Telescope an Even Sharper View of the Cosmos
The Very Large Telescope (VLT) at Cerro Paranal in northern Chile, is undoubtedly one of the premier ground-based observatories. But a new infrared instrument recently installed on the telescope has made the VLT even better. The Enhanced Resolution Imager and Spectrograph (ERIS) was delivered to Chile in December, 2021 and the first test observations were …
A New View of the Cone Nebula From the Very Large Telescope
Here’s a dramatic and spectacular new view of the Cone Nebula, as seen by the Very Large Telescope (VLT). This nebula is part of a distant star-forming region called NGC 2264, which about 2,500 light-years away. Its pillar-like appearance is a perfect example of the shapes that can develop in giant clouds of cold molecular …
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A LEGO® Version of the Very Large Telescope. It Even has a Laser Interferometer
Interferometers are some of the most highly advanced sensor instruments that humans have made. They are used in everything from astronomy to quantum mechanics and have profoundly impacted our understanding of science. But not all interferometers have to be functional. A Dutch astronomer named Frans Snik has just designed one that, while it isn’t function, …
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Very Large Telescope Images Of Jupiter Prepare Us For Juno Arrival
In preparation for Juno’s arrival at Jupiter, a team from the European Southern Observatory is creating a breathtaking infrared map of Jupiter
Watch Live: A Day in the Life of the Very Large Telescope
Ever wonder what takes place on a daily basis at one of the premier ground-based observatories? The European Southern Observatory (ESO) is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and on October 5, 2012, they will host a free, live event on the web, “A Day in the Life of ESO.” There will be live observations from ESO’s …
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The Next Generation Very Large Array Would be 263 Radio Telescopes Spread Across North America
The iconic Very Large Array (VLA) in New Mexico has been at the forefront of astrophysical research since its dedication in 1980. The Y-shaped configuration of 27 radio astronomy dishes have made key discoveries about the cosmos, while becoming a part of pop-culture in several high-profile movies. But the aging array is due for an …
The Best Way to Find Planet Nine Might Be Hundreds of Tiny Telescopes
Although the outer Solar System is mostly empty, there are icy objects drifting within the very limits of detection by our largest telescopes. But maybe small telescopes can be more successful. A new paper suggests that an array of 200 automated 40-cm telescopes spread across 1,000 km could be the best way to find them. They would watch for changes in brightness as objects pass in front of stars and could even find the hypothetical Planet Nine.
It Takes Very Special Conditions to Create This Bizarre Stellar Spectacle
A stellar odd couple 700 light-years away is creating a chaotically beautiful display of colourful, gaseous filaments. The Hubble captured the pair, named R Aquarii, and their symbiotic interactions. Every 44 years the system’s violent eruptions blast out filaments of gas at over 1.6 million kilometers per hour.