How an optical vortex coronagraph enables even small telescopes to directly image planets

Saturday, April 17, 2010

In case you or anyone you know is wondering how a small 1.5-metre telescope has recently managed to take direct images of planets where this was not possible before, the reason lies in the difference between a regular coronagraph and an optical vortex coronagraph, and an article here in the Economist today explains how.

By the way, this isn't related to extrasolar planets but I've been meaning to fit this picture in here somewhere - it's the most recent press conference taken on the ISS.

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