Virtual Telescope Zooms In On Milky Way Black Hole 181
FiReaNGeL writes "An international team has obtained the closest views ever of what is believed to be a super-massive black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy. The astronomers used radio dishes in Hawaii, Arizona and California to create a virtual telescope more than 2,800 miles across that is capable of seeing details more than 1,000 times finer than the Hubble Space Telescope. The target of the observations was the source known as Sagittarius A* ("A-star"), long thought to mark the position of a black hole whose mass is 4 million times greater than the sun. Though Sagittarius A* was discovered 30 years ago, the new observations for the first time have an angular resolution, or ability to observe small details, that is matched to the size of the event horizon."
freeresearcher.com (Score:4, Insightful)
"a virtual telescope more than 2,800 miles across that is capable of seeing details more than 1,000 times finer than the Hubble Space Telescope"
- ok, but HST is an optical telescope, not "radio dish".
Help Wanted? (Score:3, Insightful)
Pics or it didn't happen
Oh, we have lots of pretty pictures (of colorful surrounding gas). We just don't have enough picture details to determine what it is, that is happening.
What we could really use, like out of a science fiction story, is to stumble upon an ancient astronomer's time-lapse photo project. About 10-20 million years should be sufficient. But in case our stumbling plan fails, how would like to go down in history, sayyyy in 10-20 million years from now, as the guy who got the ball rolling?
Re:Interferometry (Score:3, Insightful)
The thing that plugs into your cable or DSL isn't really a 'modem' either but that doesn't stop people from calling it one. 'Virtual telescope' is far easier for laymen to grasp. Yes, slashdotters can for the most part understand this stuff, but your pedantry isn't really called for.
expanding ... (Score:4, Insightful)
To determine that something is expanding you must first know its dimensions. Since we don't know the dimensions of the universe, we can't really tell if it is expanding or not. There is movement within the observed portion of the universe that is compatible with the concept of an expanding universe.
Re:so... (Score:3, Insightful)
The only thing in the Universe that is more dense and unexplained
The intelligence and Ego of George W Bush
Re:freeresearcher.com (Score:5, Insightful)
"a virtual telescope more than 2,800 miles across that is capable of seeing details more than 1,000 times finer than the Hubble Space Telescope"
- ok, but HST is an optical telescope, not "radio dish".
It's all part of the same electromagnetic spectrum [wikipedia.org]. The fact that you can only see a very narrow bit of it doesn't change the fact that the rest can be used to look at things with the right tools. The only difference is wavelength. If you had the right "eyes" it would all be the same to you.
Re:Interferometry (Score:5, Insightful)
Then...
"I'll try to put it simply..."
And with two wiki links included? Sheesh... now I know you stated that
Re:also... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Interferometry (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:obligatory (Score:1, Insightful)
Incorrect. At the event horizon they will see you scream for eternity.