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Image: ESO / P. Weilbacher (AIP)
Several billion miles of Earth, especially Neptune cutting into a set of new images captured by one of the world's most powerful telescopes.
Located in Chile, the Very Large Telescope (VLT) of the European Southern Observatory uses what is called laser tomography to capture test images from the planet and the MUSE instrument ( Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer) of the telescope works with the so-called adaptive optics module GALACSI This allows the telescope to correct turbulence at different altitudes in the atmosphere, giving incredibly clear results. , clear images captured from the Earth.
MUSE is the first instrument to benefit from two adaptive optical modes: wide and narrow field. The narrow field mode is what generates these incredibly sharp images of Neptune – it corrects almost all turbulence over the telescope, but only on a smaller section of the sky.
You do not know how to visualize the difference? Here is an idea of what the planet looks like through the telescope with and without adaptive optics.
<img class = "" data-credit-name = "ESO / P. Weilbacher (AIP)" data-credit-provider = "custom type" data-caption = "The image on the right is without the adaptive optics system in operation and the one on the left after the adaptive optics are switched on. " title = "The image on the right is without the adaptive optics system in operation and the one on the left after the adaptive optics are switched on." src = "https://i.amz.mshcdn.com/t7vo5-uzNl4wmh00HoevbhNUzaQ=/fit-in/1200×9600/https%3A%2F%2Fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fcard%2Fimage% 2F813641% 2F0fe18f54-7de2-4177-abde-fa182a1c02e7.jpg "alt =" The image on the right is without the adaptive optics system in operation and the one on the left after the activation of the optical system. Adaptive optics.] The right image is without the adaptive optics in operation and the left one after powering adaptive optics.
Image: ESO / P. Weilbacher (AIP)
ESO says these images are sharper than those taken at Neptune with the Hubble Space Telescope Here is a comparison between the VLT and the Hubble, which captured an outstanding image of Neptune, but it is undeniably less clear. [19659012] 
The image on the right is a comparable image of NASA / ESA's Hubble Space Telescope. Note that the two images were not taken at the same time, so do not show identical surface characteristics.
Image: ESO / P. Weilbacher (AIP) / NASA, ES
And just for fun, here is how detailed the VLT images of surrounding star clusters are.
The image on the left comes from MUSE in wide field mode, without the adaptive optics operating and the central panel is an enlargement of a small part of this view. The right image is the narrow field mode view of MUSE when adaptive optics is enabled.
Image: ESO / S. Kammann (LJMU)
Several billion miles away and brisk air. While you're there, why do not you drop by Titan, Saturn's moon just as bright?
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