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1,400 Megapixel Pan-STARRS Telescope Comes Online

Posted by timothy on from the don't-get-your-panstarrs-in-a-bunch dept.

ElectricSteve writes "Astronomers in Hawaii have announced they've successfully managed to boot up the Pan-STARRS (Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System) telescope. Working from dusk to dawn every night, Pan-STARRS is able to map one-sixth of the sky each month, allowing astronomers to track all moving objects, calculate their orbits, and identify any potential threats to Earth. There are four Pan-STARRS cameras in total, each capable of capturing around 1.4 billion pixels over a sensor measuring 40 centimeters square. The focal plane of each camera contains an almost complete 64x64 array of CCD devices, each containing approximately 600x600 pixels, for a total resolution of 1.4 gigapixels."

3 of 54 comments (clear)

  1. identify any potential threats to Earth. by Capt_Idle · · Score: 4, Funny

    "General, we've identified a potential threat to Earth - the machine is paying off."
    "Great news, colonel. What's the next strategic step."
    "Bring a towel".

    1. Re:identify any potential threats to Earth. by Capt_Idle · · Score: 5, Funny

      Dear Mr. Coward. Although your gesture is very poetic, and indeed almost sexual, it's entirely against protocol.
      You can't seriously expect me to accept your offer without orders signed in triplicate, sent in, sent back, queried, lost, found, subjected to public inquiry, lost again, and finally buried in soft peat for three months, can you.

  2. Sign Me Up!!! by Cyberia · · Score: 5, Funny

    AWWW RIGHT!!!! Where do I sign up? oh wait, Pan-STARSS... nevermind... thought it read 1,400 Megapixel Porn-STARSS.....