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Space telescopes transformed our ability to understand the universe

• OldGuyInTheClub 3y ago
  True, they did but the article is all about visible and IR astronomy. The next generation of gigantic ground based telescopes, their colossal instruments, and next-gen adaptive optics are mounting a serious challenge. Consider the ELT's initial suite instruments: https://elt.eso.org/instrument/ https://elt.eso.org/instrument/ and the science goals from exoplanet spectroscopy to cosmology from the vis through mid-IR (yes, I know about atmospheric window limitations.) If Giant Magellan and/or Thirty Meter get built, they'd likely have similar objectives. Meanwhile, there is no way to do X-ray or gamma ray astronomy from the ground. Some mention of Swift, XMM-Newton, Chandra, Compton, or Fermi would have been nice.
  • itishappy 3y ago
    "X-ray telescope? Do X-rays even refract?" - Me about 6 months ago. No, no they don't... Their optics look wild. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-ray_telescope#Optics https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-ray_telescope#Optics Cool as heck. I too wish we heard more about these beauties.
    • kuhsaft 3y ago
      But, they do. Any electromagnetic wave can refract. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-ray_optics#Compound_refractive_lenses https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-ray_optics#Compound_refracti... 3Blue1Brown has a very nice series on optics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cz4Q4QOuoo8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cz4Q4QOuoo8
    • OldGuyInTheClub 3y ago
      Yes, definitely cool. What blows me away is that these tightly nested precision cylinders can survive launch /and/ stay aligned at X-ray wavelengths!