It is incredibly wild to me that I can be sitting on the planet Earth, watching a high def video of the sun's surface, comfortably in my own home. Almost like the science fiction equivalent of...
It is incredibly wild to me that I can be sitting on the planet Earth, watching a high def video of the sun's surface, comfortably in my own home. Almost like the science fiction equivalent of sitting at a campfire, watching the logs burn.
Reading this part blew my mind:
Focusing 13 kilowatts of solar power generates enormous amounts of heat — heat that must be contained or removed. A specialized cooling system provides crucial heat protection for the telescope and its optics. More than seven miles of piping distribute coolant throughout the observatory, partially chilled by ice created on site during the night.
The dome enclosing the telescope is covered by thin cooling plates that stabilize the temperature around the telescope, helped by shutters within the dome that provide shade and air circulation. The “heat-stop” (a high-tech, liquid-cooled metal donut) blocks most of the sunlight’s energy from the main mirror, allowing scientists to study specific regions of the Sun with unparalleled clarity.
So much is needed to keep a surface area of ~12.56m^2 cooled!
It is incredibly wild to me that I can be sitting on the planet Earth, watching a high def video of the sun's surface, comfortably in my own home. Almost like the science fiction equivalent of sitting at a campfire, watching the logs burn.
Reading this part blew my mind:
So much is needed to keep a surface area of ~12.56m^2 cooled!
It's certainly a much safer way of getting a close look at the sun than the one your namesake tried!
First smile of the day; thanks.