|
|
Article: CURIOUS CREATURES WITH AMAZING OPTICS.(Editorial)(Column)
- Article from:
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer
- Article date:
- September 4, 2002
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 Seattle Post-Intelligencer. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of the Dialog Corporation by Gale Group. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
Byline: GEORGE F. WILLSyndicated columnist
ATOP MAUNA KEA, ON HAWAII'S BIG ISLAND -- On a clear day, you can see almost forever. With the help of adaptive optics, almost back to the beginning of this universe. And it is usually clear here at 13,796 feet above sea level, and above half of the atmosphere's oxygen. That is why the W.M. Keck Observatory's two telescopes, primarily operated by the University of California and the California Institute of Technology, are here, far from urban lights and above much of the atmosphere which, although it makes the stars twinkle prettily, does so by distorting light.
Hence the need for adaptive optics. This ...