Um raio laser lançado na direção do centro da Via Láctea
A meados de agosto de 2010, o Embaixador Fotográfico do ESO, Yuri Beletsky, tirou esta fotografia no Observatório do Paranal do ESO. Um grupo de astrónomos estava a observar o centro da Via Láctea com o auxílio do sistema de estrela guia laser do Yepun, um dos quatro Telescópios Principais do Very Large Telescope (VLT).
O raio laser do Yepun atravessa o majestoso céu austral, criando uma estrela artificial a uma altitude de 90 km na mesosfera terrestre. A Estrela Guia Laser faz parte do sistema de óptica adaptativa do VLT e é usada como referência para corrigir as imagens astronómicas que aparecem desfocadas devido ao efeito de distorção da atmosfera. A cor do laser está calibrada de forma precisa de modo a que a sua energia excite uma faixa de átomos de sódio situada numa das camadas superiores da atmosfera - podemos reconhecer a cor familiar das lâmpadas de sódio da rua na cor do laser. Pensa-se que esta camada de átomos de sódio seja os resquícios de meteoritos que entram na atmosfera terrestre. Quando excitados pela radiação do laser, os átomos começam a brilhar, formando um pequeno ponto brilhante que pode ser usado como uma estrela de referência artificial para a óptica adaptativa. Com esta técnica, os astrónomos conseguem obter imagens muito mais nítidas. Por exemplo, quando olham na direção do centro da Via Láctea, os investigadores podem monitorizar melhor o núcleo galáctico, onde um buraco negro de elevada massa, rodeado por estrelas que o orbitam de muito perto, se encontra a engolir gás e poeira.
A fotografia, que foi escolhida como Fotografia Astronómica do Dia a 6 de setembro de 2010 e Fotografia Wikimedia do Ano 2010, foi tirada com uma lente grande angular e cobre cerca de 180 graus no céu.
Esta imagem emoldurada encontra-se disponível na loja ESO.
ESO/Y. Beletsky
Sobre a imagem
Id: | potw1036a |
Língua: | pt |
Tipo: | Fotográfico |
Data de divulgação: | 4 de Julho de 2011 às 17:30 |
Notícias relacionadas: | eso2017 |
Anúncios relacionados: | ann11044 |
Tamanho: | 4000 x 3631 px |
Sobre o objeto
Nome: | Very Large Telescope, VLT Unit Telescopes |
Tipo: | Milky Way Unspecified : Technology : Observatory : Facility |
Formatos de imagens
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