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Non-Spherical Stars

Posted by michael on from the first-you-assume-a-spherical-cow dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Now that the large interferometers are coming on line, the stars are no longer dots. Achernar (Alpha Eridani), is a huge ellipsoid whose polar radius (due to fast spinning) is 50% smaller than the equatorial one!"

3 of 70 comments (clear)

  1. Press release here: by molo · · Score: 5, Informative

    More details at the press release:

    http://www.eso.org/outreach/press-rel/pr-2003/pr-1 4-03.html

    Including more technical drawings.

    -molo

    --
    Using your sig line to advertise for friends is lame.
  2. I crush you... by FroMan · · Score: 5, Funny

    You know when you take your index finger and thumb and look at something pretty far away. Then you squish them till they touch.

    I think someone was doing that at the end of the telescope.

    --
    Norris/Palin 2012
    Fact: We deserve leaders who can kick your ass and field dress your carcass.
  3. The Very Large Telescope Interferometer by jwachter · · Score: 5, Informative

    This site describes the telescopes that comprise the interferometer used to make the observations:
    http://www.eso.org/projects/vlti/

    Quote:
    The Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) consists in the coherent combination of the four VLT Unit Telescopes and of several moveable 1.8m Auxiliary Telescopes. Once fully operational, the VLTI will provide both a high sensitivity as well as milli-arcsec angular resolution provided by baselines of up to 200m length.