Space Laser Creates Artificial Star
Explanation:
Some astronomers don't like stars.
Bright star fluctuations
can indicate how the
Earth's atmosphere is changing,
but many times no bright star exists in the
direction where atmospheric information is needed.
So rather than try to eradicate existing stars with a laser,
these astronomers create an
artificial star
of their own right where they need it -- with a
laser.
Subsequent observations of the
artificial laser guide star can reveal information
so detailed about the blurring effects of the
Earth's atmosphere that much of this
blurring can be removed by rapidly flexing the mirror.
Such
adaptive optic techniques allow
high-resolution ground-based observations of
real stars,
planets, and
nebulae.
Above, an artificial star was created with a four-watt laser at
Richard B. Dunn Solar Telescope on
Sacramento Peak in
New Mexico.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
