Description
Book SynopsisSince the 1960s, astrophysical discoveries have blossomed, due to the emergence of powerful and new observational tools. Among them, a fantastic improvement of the sharpness of astronomical images, obtained with ground based optical telescopes, has been the result of two revolutions: adaptive optics and optical interferometry.
Written for a general audience, interwoven with fascinating details about the evolution of vision and optics, this book tells a personal story of these revolutions in observational astronomy, born two centuries ago and blossoming in the past fifty years. With the construction of the Very Large Telescope in Chile, Europe played a leading role where young scientists, joining creative astronomers and engineers, have developed a superb creativity. Today, incredibly sharp images of exoplanetary systems and black hole environments are obtained and reveal new questions about Earth-like objects or fundamental physics.
The author has been one of the actors of this adventure. His first-hand testimony is opening the future to new horizons.
Trade Review“This slim, well-written book contains at least all that the non-specialist might need to learn about the developments and achievements of adaptive optics in astronomical telescopes. … The language is fluent, the writing clean and clear, and the assembly of unfolding facts almost chronological. … It’s a good read for both astronomer and layperson … .” (Elizabeth Griffin, The Observatory, Vol. 141 (1284), October, 2021)
Table of ContentsA night at Paranal.- From the depth of ages.- Too god to be true? Adaptive optics.- The adventurers of sharpness: interferometry.- The Very Large Telescope (VLT), double victory against fuzzy images.- Imaging exoplanets.- Our neighbour the black hole.- The future will be into the details.- Epilogue.
