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Lasers Create Artificial Stars Above Chile's Paranal Observatory in Stunning New Photo
A breathtaking new photograph from the European Southern Observatory captures laser beams creating artificial reference stars above the Very Large Telescope in Chile's Atacama Desert, showcasing the cutting-edge adaptive optics technology that allows ground-based telescopes to rival the clarity of space observatories.
Key Takeaways
- Astrophotographer Alexis Trigo captured laser beams creating artificial guide stars above the Very Large Telescope in Chile
- The lasers excite sodium atoms at 90 km altitude to create reference points for real-time atmospheric correction
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DT Editorial AI··6 min read·via space.com