Hidden in Chile’s Atacama Desert, the $1.5B Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) nears completion. With a massive 130-ft mirror, ...

The journey of astronomical telescopes began in the early 17th century when Galileo Galilei crafted his first refracting ...

New optical technologies have revolutionized astronomy, from the invention of the telescope 400 years ago to more recent developments of adaptive optics and segmented mirrors. The next disruptive ...

At Gemini South, on an Andes mountaintop called Cerro Pachon, an adaptive-optics system supercharges the capabilities of the telescope's massive 26-foot (8-meter) mirror, the better to study black ...

Could a telescope be vibrated with the right frequency to counter the atmospheric twinkle of stars? Robert Byerly Windsor, California Yes, it can! This is one facet of adaptive optics, which ...

This is particularly important in astronomy, where ground-based telescopes must deal with the blurring effects of the Earth's atmosphere. Deformable mirrors (DMs) are a key component of adaptive ...

Giant Magellan Telescope The GMT is one of several large ... Like its competitor giant scopes, it will feature adaptive optics, which corrects image distortions caused by our turbulent atmosphere.

Make the most of January's new moon and survey the darkened skies with the best telescopes. Our guide will help you choose the right scope, no matter your budget or experience. Are you new to ...

The UArizona-managed Large Binocular Telescope on Mount Graham is the only one of its kind, with two ... [+] 27-foot mirrors mounted side by side. A powerful adaptive optics system compensates for ...

An adaptive optics system measures the distortion of incoming light and compensates to create sharp, clear images. Light from the telescope bounces off the adaptive mirror and is sent through a ...