Posted on 03/10/2026 2:29:32 PM PDT by MtnClimber
Explanation: Are lasers from giant telescopes being used to defend the Earth? No. Lasers shot from telescopes are now commonly used to help increase the accuracy of astronomical observations. In some directions, Earth atmosphere-induced fluctuations in starlight can indicate how the air mass over a telescope is changing, but in other directions, no bright star exists. In these directions, astronomers can create an artificial star with a laser. Subsequent observations of the artificial laser guide star can reveal information so detailed about the changing blurring effects of the Earth's atmosphere that much of it can be removed by rapidly flexing a telescope's mirror. Such adaptive optics techniques allow high-resolution ground-based observations of real stars, planets, and nebulas. Pictured here, telescopes at Paranal Observatory in Chile study a colorful sky filled with green airglow and the Magellanic Clouds on the left, red airglow on the right, and the majestic central band of our Milky Way Galaxy arching across the center.
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For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then move the magnifying glass cursor then click to zoom in and click again to zoom out. When zoomed in you can scan by moving the side bars on the bottom and right side of the image.
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Those structures remind me of the Obama library
Fixed it.
Reminds me of the night glow over Tehran....
They have a kinda futuristic military look to them.
I am reminded of Star Wars...
Very cool.
Wow.
Wow.
Milky Way just one leg or spiral of the galaxy?
The Kecks are better.
From a retired Keck engineer.
Aloha.
It looks almost like some kind of fantasy artwork.
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