Post #1953836
2026-05-04 10:21 UTC
Happy #MayThe4th ! Here's a photo I took at @esoastronomy@mastodon.social 's Paranal Observatory in #Chile, with one of our 8-m telescopes aiming its four lasers at the Large Magellanic Cloud, a small galaxy orbiting the Milky Way.
The lasers excite sodium atoms high up in the atmosphere, creating artificial "stars" whose twinkle we can measure in real time to correct atmospheric turbulence and get super sharp images.
This is how it works: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_QC2cLroDc
#StarWars #StarWarsDay #astronomy #space
Replies (3)
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@WaveyDavey@mastodonapp.uk 2026-05-04 12:38
@astro_jcm@mastodon.online @esoastronomy@mastodon.social I love the photo ! Happy Star Wars Day to you too.
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@NatureMC@mastodon.online 2026-05-04 10:23
@astro_jcm More exciting than any Star Wars film! @esoastronomy
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@ghostdancer@mastodon.sdf.org 2026-05-04 11:24
@astro_jcm @esoastronomy "Now witness the firepower of this fully armed and operational battlestation! Fire at will, Commander." 😜