SpaceRef - Astronomy - Telescopes And Observatories

SpaceRef - Astronomy - Telescopes And Observatories - Interferometers

CHARA Array - "The CHARA Array at Georgia State University is a new optical stellar interferometer which will allow astronomers to see astronomical objects approximately 100 times more sharply than can traditional telescopes. The Array will consist of six 1-m aperture telescopes (with an eventual goal of up to eight) in a Y-shaped configuration contained within a 400-meter diameter circle. This configuration will provide high resolution interferometry in the visible spectral region as well as at near-infrared wavelengths (2.2 microns), with a limiting resolution of 0.2 milliarcsec in the visible."

Keck Interferometer - The world's largest telescopes for optical and near-infrared astronomy are the twin 10 meter Keck telescopes on top of Mauna Kea, Hawaii. The two Keck telescopes, in conjunction with four proposed outrigger telescopes, will be used as an interferometer to conduct observations as part of NASA's Origins Program. These observations will address a variety of topics, including the origin and evolution of planetary systems.. [NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory]

Palomar Testbed Interferometer (PTI) - PTI was designed to test the hypothesis that very narrow angle astrometry with long baseline interferometers could achieve an astrometric precision that was perhaps 100 times better than what was generally accepted in the 1980's as well as to initiate a small search for exoplanets. [NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory]

Space Very Long Baseline Interferometry Project (VLBI) - VLBI supports both the VSOP (VLBI Space Observatory Programme) mission (Japan) and the RadioAstron mission (Russia). Each will place a radio telescope of 8-10 meters diameter in an elliptical Earth orbit to enable VLBI observations on baselines between space and ground telescopes. [NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory]