Space Interferometry Mission proof of concept

[ToSeek]

Tiny measurement gives big boost to planet hunt

[pmcolt]

I continue to be amazed by the things we can do when we put our minds to it (or, more accurately, the things they can do when they put their minds to it). =D> Now let's start finding those Earth-mass planets...

[man on the moon]

all i can say is:

[Grey]

Wow! I'm confused, though. The article talks about how small the angular resolution needs to be by comparing it to the size of hydrogen atoms and a human hair. Um, those are linear, not angular measurements. Now I want to know what the angular resolution they'll be achieving really is!

[The Bad Astronomer]

I think the author of the article was a bit confused. The TPF and other interferometry missions combine two (or more) beams of light to make an interference pattern. It's the combination of the waves that make the pattern. If the wave pattern in one beam moves a very small distance, the pattern changes. I believe the author is referring to how much the beam moves in that comparison, and not how much the star moves.