Re:First light images emerge from Gemini Planet Imager
by ngoldbaum on Wednesday January 08, 2014 @12:15AM
(#7021830)
It would probably be worse from space, actually. This was imaged at the diffraction limit of the telescope (~λ/D where D is the diameter of the mirror) and Gemini has an 8-meter mirror. We're not going to put an 8-meter IR telescope in space for a long time. Even JWST is only 4 meters.
Re:First light images emerge from Gemini Planet Imager
by iwwr on Wednesday January 08, 2014 @02:37AM
(#7022262)
It is, but the limit is your ability to cram it all that in a single rocket. It's why the James Webb needs foldable mirrors (JWST is made of small mirrors stuck together basically).
There have been a few proposals for in-space interferometers, but budgeting shot them down for the most part. In hindsight they may have been cheaper given the ballooning costs of JWST.
Re:First light images emerge from Gemini Planet Imager
by ckarmann on Tuesday January 07, 2014 @11:04PM
(#7021605)
The Gemini Planet Imager operates at "near-infrared" wavelengths (Y - K bands), according to Wikipedia. The telescope is designed to detect light generated by the heat of young planets, so infrared is the best bet, I think.
There have been a few proposals for in-space interferometers, but budgeting shot them down for the most part. In hindsight they may have been cheaper given the ballooning costs of JWST.
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photometric_system