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The Largest Telescope We May Ever Build (Patreon)

Published:
2018-05-14 20:04:06
Imported:
2026-06
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 Since their invention, telescopes have been used by astronomers to study the stars. As technology and theory advanced a need for larger and larger telescopes grew. Where the first telescopes were light enough to pick up and move, modern scopes take up entire specialized buildings and our largest is planned to be 40 meters wide.  But we're starting to hit the limit of how large we can make our telescopes as the cost to make these behemoths increases exponentially with size. A 1 meter telescope costs up to 250,000 whereas the monster 40m one will cost almost a billion.   

In this video we explore a design for what would be the largest telescope humanity will ever use. It would allow us to take images of an exoplanet from over 100 light years away at better resolution than hubble is able to see mars from earth. The proposed FOCAL spacecraft uses a weird property of space called gravitational lensing to bend light around the sun as if it was a giant lens. 

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The largest telescope humans will ever build - Gravitational solar lens

Since their invention, telescopes have been used by astronomers to study the stars. As technology and theory advanced a need for larger and larger telescopes grew. Where the first telescopes were light enough to pick up and move, modern scopes take up entire specialized buildings and our largest is planned to be 40 meters wide. But we're starting to hit the limit of how large we can make our telescopes as the cost to make these behemoths increases exponentially with size. A 1 meter telescope costs up to 250,000 whereas the monster 40m one will cost almost a billion. In this video we explore a design for what would be the largest telescope humanity will ever use. It would allow us to take images of an exoplanet from over 100 light years away at better resolution than hubble is able to see mars from earth. The proposed FOCAL spacecraft uses a weird property of space called gravitational lensing to bend light around the sun as if it was a giant lens. Codyslab aragoscope: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RacK2VwqEk&t=321s Satellite images: https://youtu.be/cjClTnZ4Xh4 Radio telescope: https://youtu.be/aeah3fFYlnA Why jupiter is a bad option: https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/jupiter-as-a-gravitational-lens.101614/ Source: https://arxiv.org/abs/1604.06351 __________________________________________________________________ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thethoughtemporium Store: https://www.redbubble.com/people/chironex/shop __________________________________________________________________ My Social Media Pages: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thethoughtemporium/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thethoughtemporium/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/TTEchironex Website: http://thethoughtemporium.com/ __________________________________________________________________ As always, thanks to my awesome Patrons for helping to make these video possible. Special thanks to: -Anatoly Bazarov -John De Witt -Terry Fuller -Rauni -Chris Carrigan Brolly -Ben Davis -Alexandre Guhur -Ben Krasnow -Daniel Henneberger -Paul Richmond -Jim Mussared -Pedro Blanc Arabe -Ryan Whited -kn0tsin -OmuN -Morten Eriksen -BioQuisitive -Patryk Wycech -Al Dass -Larry -Michael Chatzidakis -Oliver -Justin Hendryx -orotusso -Alex Lemna -Cataract Bumblesnatch -Anita Fowler -Besenyeim

Comments

Jasper

Aperture synthesis might be able to compete? That said, i am not sure about the technical difficulties. Sending the analog signal is probably impossible at that scale, so you need pixels that get phases, and need to know the distance between the telescopes very well too. It is kindah the reverse of a phased array of the starshot idea <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breakthrough_Starshot" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breakthrough_Starshot</a> ... infact i kindah suspect lasers can at least partially supplant thermal nuclear drives, heating with optics receiving from this laser.. But the laser array might need to be too big and i wonder if Earth atmosphere is too complicating.. (edit: Another project for with the idea of using lasers to drive thermal rockets into orbit put it at 1MW/kg, but of course they have to do well over 10m/s2) (edit2:(after reply) these lasers might power all sorts of things, like industry, if sunlight can't reach temperatures or isnt controllable enough)

thethoughtemporium
>>12319451

I left it out of the video, but aperture synthesis is likely required for this to work as the "image" that forms at the focus is about 1km wide. Though that could potentially be subverted by something like an aragoscope. I'm a big fan of laser sails. Nuclear engines could be used to slow down once you get where you're going since otherwise you'll just fly right by your target. We wouldn't built the laser array on earth though. You mount them on the moon, or maybe have one on several moons along the way to boost you.