In both experiments, the telescopes in Hawaii and Chile were linked together so that they would act as a much larger telescope, for observing a single star.
Using a method called interferometry, tremendous successes have recently been achieved in astronomy from the ground - after connecting the largest telescopes in the world to a huge array, for the purpose of observing a single star in the depths of the universe
In the first half of the year, two tremendous successes were recorded in terrestrial astronomy, through interferometry (interference) experiments in two huge telescope systems, the one at the Keck Observatory in Hawaii and the one at the Southern European Observatory in Chile. Diameter of each telescope in these two systems: 10-8 meters.
In both experiments, the telescopes were connected to each other so that they would act as a much larger telescope, for observing a single star. The new devices made it possible to receive sky images with excellent resolution, in an in-depth search for solar systems and planets outside our solar system, those that are close to stars that serve as suns.
Back in 1867, the French scientist Piso proposed to measure the diameter of stars, using the interferometric method. The experimental proof of the correctness of his method was obtained for the first time in 1890 in the laboratory of the American Michaelson and since 1920 it has been the most accepted method.
Usually, a telescope shows a celestial object as an image, in which details can be discerned - but only if the visible figure is larger than a few arc-seconds (due to the limitation in the stability of the atmosphere). This way you can see different details on the surface of Mars or other planets.
The stars of the Sabbath, the suns, are much further away from us, relative to the planets. Any telescope in the world that is directed towards the planet Saturn will see a point image, "smeared" to a considerable extent due to the unstable air.
Michelson's method was based on sampling the light from the star from two points that are relatively distant from each other, and optically connecting the two rays. The connection of the rays created a "struggle image", in which black stripes appeared next to light stripes. Based on the measurement of the distance between the stripes, the angular diameter of the star is calculated. This result, together with the calculation of the distance to the star measured in another way, provides the required diameter, in km.
In an attempt to increase the distance between the two sampling points of the star's light, the astronomers began to use several telescopes, whose light is combined to obtain the interference image.
The southern European telescope system in Chile, which is not yet active in its final configuration, will include four huge telescopes, each 8 meters in diameter, and other small telescopes, approximately 1.8 meters in diameter. They will allow sampling light and connecting it in many different ways. It will be the largest interferometer array in the world. By the way: the two telescopes in Kek (with a diameter of 10 meters) are only able to measure diameters and distances in the direction of the line connecting the telescopes in the observatory. And this is their lack at this point.
The search for the holiday planets around other stars (suns) using the interferometric method, is based on the possibility of connecting the light from two or more telescopes so that the source light is canceled.
The problem with this type of discovery: the presence of the planet in the vicinity of the star it orbits (as seen from Earth). With the help of the optical cancellation of the strong light source, it is possible to see the planet directly, map its movement around its sun, and try to discover signs of free oxygen on their surface - which would indicate the existence of oxygen-releasing plants on these planets.
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