

First light images emerge from Gemini Planet Imager - nkvl
https://www.llnl.gov/news/newsreleases/2014/Jan/NR-14-01-01.html

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colkassad
Incredible image for an Earth-based telescope. I wonder what we could get from
space?

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ngoldbaum
It would probably be worse from space, actually. This was imaged at the
diffraction limit of the telescope (~λ/D where D is the diameter of the
mirror) and Gemini has an 8-meter mirror. We're not going to put an 8-meter IR
telescope in space for a long time. Even JWST is only 4 meters.

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merkitt
Is visible light interferometry possible with multiple small reflectors in
orbit?

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iwwr
It is, but the limit is your ability to cram it all that in a single rocket.
It's why the James Webb needs foldable mirrors (JWST is made of small mirrors
stuck together basically).

There have been a few proposals for in-space interferometers, but budgeting
shot them down for the most part. In hindsight they may have been cheaper
given the ballooning costs of JWST.

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rpedela
Truly awesome! I am curious what part of the light spectrum did they use to
take the picture? If it was said in the article then I missed it.

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ckarmann
The Gemini Planet Imager operates at "near-infrared" wavelengths (Y - K
bands), according to Wikipedia. The telescope is designed to detect light
generated by the heat of young planets, so infrared is the best bet, I think.

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ngoldbaum
Y band is 1 μm, K band is 2.2 μm [1]. Almost all current adaptive optics
systems work in the infrared.

[1]
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photometric_system](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photometric_system)

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binarymax
The star is 237 lightyears from earth. Incredible.

