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Lasers create artificial stars above Chile's Very Large Telescope

Original: Those bright yellow streaks are four artificial stars, created up in the atmosphere by laser beams rising from our Very

The European Southern Observatory has shared images of four bright yellow streaks above its Very Large Telescope in Chile. The streaks are artificial stars created by laser beams fired into the atmosphere. By monitoring how these laser-generated stars twinkle and adjusting a thin flexible mirror in real time, astronomers can correct for atmospheric blurring and obtain sharper images of the cosmos.

Why now: The striking visuals and explanation of adaptive optics technology are drawing widespread public interest.

European Southern ObservatoryVery Large TelescopeChile

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Evidence

• Those bright yellow streaks are four artificial stars, created up in the atmosphere by laser beams rising from our Very Large Telescope in # Chile . By monitoring how these "stars" twinkle and quickly reshaping a thin, flexible mirror we can correct in real time the blurring… · esoastronomy · 72

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