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No. That's not how optics works. The resolution is set by the diffraction limit of the optics, which is mostly limited by the diameter of the aperture. This is

No. That's not how optics works. The resolution is set by the diffraction limit of the optics, which is mostly limited by the diameter of the aperture. This is not something you can magic away (I am aware that interferometers exist, but those are very limited in their capabilities and don't replace big telescopes). And even with free launches space telescopes are still extremely expensive, since the telescope and all it's instruments has to work in space without any tweaking or possibility for upgrades. Ground based telescopes are used for decades and upgraded with newer instruments over time.

dr_dshiv 6y ago
This paper suggests otherwise, what are your thoughts? Optical aperture synthesis with electronically connected telescopes https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms7852 https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms7852
- welterde 6y ago
  Like I said interferometers exist but they are very limited in their capabilities. For example the VLT interferometer is limited to observing objects that are brighter than 18th magnitude (and that's using multiple 8m telescopes! Using the auxiliary telescopes which are still 2m you are limited to about 10th magnitude). Something that is easily within the reach of a single telescope less than 50cm in diameter (single 8m telescope can see objects fainter than 25th magnitude - 7 orders of magnitude difference!) - something you can buy for less than 30k$! Interferometry gives you high resolution at the cost of sensitivity. And there way more things that require high sensitivity than high resolution. And I haven't even mentioned spectroscopy, which is hugely important in modern astronomy. And there is no way around having a big light bucket - I wish there was.
  - jclos 6y ago
    Thank you for the explanation, I was wondering the exact same thing and I know nothing about optics.
  - dr_dshiv 6y ago
    Thanks, this Wikipedia page has more -- and consider adding! https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronomical_interferometer https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronomical_interferometer

dr_dshiv 6y ago

This paper suggests otherwise, what are your thoughts? Optical aperture synthesis with electronically connected telescopes https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms7852 https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms7852

welterde 6y ago
Like I said interferometers exist but they are very limited in their capabilities. For example the VLT interferometer is limited to observing objects that are brighter than 18th magnitude (and that's using multiple 8m telescopes! Using the auxiliary telescopes which are still 2m you are limited to about 10th magnitude). Something that is easily within the reach of a single telescope less than 50cm in diameter (single 8m telescope can see objects fainter than 25th magnitude - 7 orders of magnitude difference!) - something you can buy for less than 30k$! Interferometry gives you high resolution at the cost of sensitivity. And there way more things that require high sensitivity than high resolution. And I haven't even mentioned spectroscopy, which is hugely important in modern astronomy. And there is no way around having a big light bucket - I wish there was.
- jclos 6y ago
  Thank you for the explanation, I was wondering the exact same thing and I know nothing about optics.
- dr_dshiv 6y ago
  Thanks, this Wikipedia page has more -- and consider adding! https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronomical_interferometer https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronomical_interferometer