NASA Takes Step Forward In Planet Finding

Spy der Mann wrote to mention a piece at Physorg.com about a major breakthrough in planet finding. From the article: "On a crystal clear, star-filled night at Hawaii's Keck Observatory in Mauna Kea, NASA engineers successfully suppressed the blinding light of three stars, including the well-known Vega, by 100 times. This breakthrough will enable scientists to detect the dim dust disks around stars, where planets might be forming. Normally the disks are obscured by the glare of the starlight. Engineers accomplished this challenging feat with the Keck Interferometer, which links the observatory's two 10-meter (33-feet) telescopes. By combining light from the telescopes, the Keck Interferometer has a resolving power equivalent to a football-field sized telescope. The 'technological touchdown' of blocking starlight was achieved by adding an instrument called a 'nuller.' "

Comments

You can do the same thing at home

[Chairboy]

I've replicated the same feat at home using a device I call a "lens cap", except I can significantly beat the 100x reduction of star brightness.

I'll entertain all bids on this technology...

Re:You can do the same thing at home

[game kid]

except I can significantly beat the 100x reduction of star brightness.

Not to mention seeing absolutely no star in the process, for obvious reasons.

<sarcasm>Good job.</sarcasm> ;)

Just imagine...

[AsmCoder8088]

a beowulf clust... oh, sorry... Just had to do it!

Re:Just imagine...

[arootbeer]

function nuller(object)
      set object = null
end function

Re:Let's get the instruments in space

[Deadstick]

I can't imagine a scientific reason to look from the crust of a planet for anything in deep space.

There isn't. We can begin doing it properly as soon as your check clears.

rj

Other uses for the Nuller

[twiddlingbits]

Can we use the "nuller" to remove the offending glare from the fake teeth, fake breasts, overdone cosmetic surgeries and massive egos of the Hollywood "stars"?

Re:nuller?

[Spoonito]

"The 'technological touchdown' of blocking starlight was achieved by adding an instrument called a 'nuller.'"

I wish the New York Jets had a 'nuller' for stopping some technical touchdowns of their own.

Why!?

[damnfuct]

The question I have to ask is why are we looking for planets?! It's almost as if we've totally leapfrogged the part where we actually find a way to get INTO space and TO planets. It's like we're kids looking through the window of a bar wanting to taste beer. Instead of looking at beer and wondering if it tastes good, we kids should be forging some fake id's and finding out for ourselves.

Re:Let's get the instruments in space

[FonzCam]

It's about 36,660 per kilogram for those in the rest of Europe or about 5,700,000 Nairas per kilo if your name is Prince Joe Eboh and you need help getting your millions of dollars out of nigeria so that you can use it to put big telescopes in space.

AKA

[MoogMan]

A "nuller" AKA bluetack.

Taking risks

[Ogive17]

from the article..

Scientists believe the best odds of finding life outside our solar system are on Earth-sized planets, particularly those with the right temperature, density and chemistry.

Wow, don't go out on a limb or anything...

Re:Let's get the instruments in space

[MyLongNickName]

Really, people. Think before you hit "submit".

You must be new here.

Re:Interferometer?

[Anonymous Coward]

> a small fraction of about 500 nm

A small fraction of about 500 nautical miles? No sweat, I got that covered. :)

Re:Let's get the instruments in space

[sd_diamond]

> http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=1+stone+in+po unds&btnG=Google+Search

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=humor

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=smart-ass