Previous observations did not have enough resolution to detect its companion star, which orbits around LkHa101 at a distance of about 2.6 billion miles. Interferometer technology uses the light from two or more observing sources targeting the same object. It then combines it, creating an interference pattern, much like that a ripple pattern in a puddle caused by rain. The aperture mask deflects 90 percent of the light collected by Keck's 32-foot primary mirror, however it creates an interference pattern that preserves the spatial resolution information, which is usually lost because of atmospheric distortion. A computer analyzes the interference pattern and constructs the image.
Infrared light is invisible to the human eye, but some types are perceived as heat.
The dust cloud around LkHa101 is larger than the NIRC images indicate, because there is a great deal of outlying material that is cooler than what NIRC can see. Archives - Archives of past weeks' Daily Selected News Stories. All Rights Reserved. All other copyrights remain property of their respective owners.