Researchers at the Gemini International Observatory have released an image of a spectacular celestial display in the sky above Hawaii. You can see stars, lasers, and one of the most powerful ground-based telescopes in the world.
The image was taken at the top of Mauna Kea in Hawaii, at an altitude of 4,213 meters. It is home to Gemini North, one of the observatory’s two 8.1-meter telescopes. The second telescope is located in Chile.
The image was obtained by combining several photographs taken in slow motion mode. Therefore, we can see the stars orbiting around the North Star. Trails left by airplanes can also be seen on the horizon.
In addition to Gemini North and the stars, orange stripes are also visible in the frame. These are lasers from the telescope’s adaptive optics system. They create “artificial stars” by illuminating a layer of atomic sodium at an altitude of approximately 90 km above the Earth’s surface.
Artificial stars are necessary for astronomers to analyze turbulence. By comparing their actual image with the reference image, the computer system calculates the parameters of atmospheric distortions and then changes the shape of the secondary mirrors to eliminate them. This allows Gemini North to obtain images of stars, planets, and galaxies with a resolution comparable to that of space telescopes.
Earlier, we reported on how Gemini North helped confirm the existence of exoplanets around Barnard’s Star.
According to NOIRLab
