New telescope captures galaxy with one eye shut
Galaxy NGC 891 was chosen simply because it is a
beautiful object, says Richard Green, director of the
Large Binocular Telescope.
Image source:
NewScientist / Large Binocular Telescope Observatory
beautiful object, says Richard Green, director of the
Large Binocular Telescope.
Image source:
NewScientist / Large Binocular Telescope Observatory
Kelly Young writes in NewScientist:
The Large Binocular Telescope in Arizona, US, has taken its first spectacular image, even though one of its eyes is still shut.
The $120-million telescope is the first of its kind, bring comprised of two 8.4-metre primary mirrors on the same mount. It is still being built, but when completed, the telescope should have vision 10 to 12 times better than the Hubble Space Telescope.
At present only one mirror is ready for observations, but even with "monocular" vision, the telescope has captured an arresting image of the spiral galaxy NGC 891. It was chosen simply because it is a beautiful object, says Richard Green, director of the LBT.
NGC 891 is just 24 million light years away in the constellation Andromeda. Once the telescope is fully operational, scientists hope to be able to study more distant galaxies, such as those in the background of this image.
posted by Fergie @ 10/27/2005 08:49:00 AM
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