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Adaptive Optics and New Images of the Universe
January 2001
Adaptive optics and new images from the distant universe
topped the NSF program at the American Astronomical
Society meeting in San Diego on January 7-11, 2001.
- Adaptive optics, which corrects the distortions
caused by Earth's atmosphere, are the latest technology
for ground-based optical and infrared telescopes
such as NSF's Gemini North and South telescopes
in Hawaii and Chile. Images and features at:
- NSF's National Optical Astronomy Observatory
revealed an extraordinary image of the night sky
showing 300,000 faint galaxies over an area 900
times larger than the "Hubble Deep Field."
Press release at http://www.noao.edu/outreach/press/
Image credit: NOAO/NSF
- Astronomers using NSF's Very Large Array
(VLA) radio telescope announced the discovery
of a star in formation -- a solar-system-sized
disk of gas and dust feeding material onto a young
star with 8 to 10 times the mass of the Sun.
Press release and images are at: http://www.nrao.edu/pr/bigysodisk.html
For a list of other NSF-related news at the meeting,
see: http://www.nsf.gov/od/lpa/news/media/01/ma0101.htm
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