First LBT interferometry science paper

The first designs of what became the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) were drawn more than 25 years ago, at a time when its observing modes were also conceptually defined, enabling the spatial resolution of a 23-m telescope while providing the versatility of a pair of 8-m telescopes. An important step was recently taken with the publication of the first refereed science paper using the NASA-Headquarters funded LBT Interferometer (LBTI).

LBTI (green and silver structure in the center of the picture) between the two 8.4m mirrors of LBT

LBTI coherently combines the two LBT beams to achieve the 23-m resolution the observatory offers today as a precursor to the Extremely Large Telescopes (ELTs) currently in development and hopefully operational in the mid-to-late 2020s. 

The published study reports LBTI’s first test observations of stardust, in this case around a mature, sun-like star called eta Corvi known to be unusually dusty. According to the science team, this star is 10,000 times dustier than our own solar system, likely due to a recent impact between planetary bodies in its inner regions. The surplus of dust gives the telescope a good place to practice its dust-detecting skills.

The results show that the telescope works as intended: a tribute to the many who contributed to the development of the observatory.

Find more on this landmark paper in LBTO’s history by reading the NASA-JPL press release entitled Telescope To Seek Dust Where Other Earths May Lie, issued on January 20, 2015. 

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The article

FIRST-LIGHT LBT NULLING INTERFEROMETRIC OBSERVATIONS: WARM EXOZODIACAL DUST RESOLVED WITHIN A FEW AU OF η Crv

D. Defrère, P. M. Hinz, A. J. Skemer, G. M. Kennedy, V. P. Bailey, W. F. Hoffmann, B. Mennesson, R. Millan-Gabet, W. C. Danchi, O. Absil

is published in the Astrophysical Journal and available online here.

doi:10.1088/0004-637X/799/1/42