June 5, 2024

UA telescope grabs ground-breaking images of Jupiter's volcanic moon

The photos are the best Earth-based pictures to reveal lava flows on Io.

Ground Telescopes Io Large Binocular Telescope atop Mt. Graham.
NASA

Ground Telescope AM 6-4-2024 TPer

A University of Arizona-backed telescope atop Mount Graham is helping deliver new photos of Jupiter's volcanic moon, Io.

Io Image Photo of Io from SHARK-VIS camera.
Large Binocular Telescope Observatory

U of A staff scientist Al Conrad says a high-contrast camera installed on the Large Binocular Telescope captured the highest resolution optical images of Io available from Earth.

"What's new about this instrument is that we now have the ability to observe at visible wavelengths, the same wavelengths that the eye can see," he explained.

The new imaging system compensates for blurring caused by atmospheric turbulence, giving astronomers a clearer view.

The pictures are being revealed in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

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