A pair of optical telescopes have been linked for the first time by optical fibre. The technique could dramatically improve the resolution of this type of telescope, ultimately allowing us to peer into the planet-forming regions around stars.
A telescope’s resolution is dictated by its size: the greater the distance between one side of the receiver and the other, the smaller the objects it can pick out. To increase the resolution of radio telescopes without having to build ever larger receiving dishes, astronomers connect arrays of telescopes sited hundreds of metres apart or more to form interferometers. Creating large optical interferometers is harder, because light is rapidly attenuated as it travels through…
