Astronomy: New camera takes sharpest image of Jupiter's moon Io from Earth
The sharpest images of Jupiter's moons have so far been provided by probes. Now a new camera shows what is now possible from the Earth's surface.
This picture was taken from the earth's surface
(Image: INAF/Large Binocular Telescope Observatory/Georgia State University;SHARK-VIS@LBT [P.I. F. Pedichini]; D. Hope, S. Jefferies, G. Li Causi)
A new instrument on a telescope in the USA has taken photos of Jupiter's moon Io that can compete with those taken on site in terms of resolution. The images are sharp enough to distinguish volcanoes on the celestial body that are so close to each other that the material ejected during eruptions overlaps, writes the research group. A comparison of this highest-resolution image of Io ever taken from Earth with one taken by the Jupiter probe Juno from orbit makes it clear how small the difference is. The new camera thus opens up entirely new perspectives for the exploration of the solar system.
As the University of Arizona explains, the images were taken by a camera called SHARK-VIS, which was installed on the Large Binocular Telescope last year. This is a recording instrument for particularly high-contrast images, which also benefits from the observatory's adaptive optics. This makes it possible to compensate for disturbing influences of the Earth's atmosphere on the astronomical images, and the images that have now been completed once again underline how powerful this technology is. The quality of the images is between three and four times better than the best that can be achieved with the Hubble Space Telescope. Only on location could even better images be taken.
(Image: NASA)
All the images and the research work behind them are to be published next week in the journal Geophysical Research Letters. The images are also so outstanding because the best images to date have been taken in the non-visible spectrum. Astronomer Imke de Pater explains that the landscape and topography can only really be made out in the visible spectrum. At the same time, she is hoping for a combination with infrared images in order to be able to study the most volcanically active celestial body in the solar system in more detail. The new camera has already been used to take pictures of other moons and asteroids. These images are currently being analyzed, and further observation campaigns are planned.
(mho)