Avremo una nuova stella artificiale per calibrare le misure di luminosità delle stelle da parte dei telescopi basati a Terra? Se ne parla su scitechdaily.com

The Landolt NASA Space Mission, hosted by George Mason University, will orbit an artificial star to refine telescope calibrations and astrophysical measurements. This project aims to advance the accuracy of scientific data concerning the universe’s expansion and celestial properties.

George Mason University will lead the $19.5 million Landolt NASA Space Mission, a groundbreaking project that will launch an artificial “star” into Earth’s orbit. This artificial star will enable scientists to calibrate telescopes and improve measurements of stellar brightness, from nearby stars to distant supernova explosions in remote galaxies. By achieving precise absolute flux calibration, the mission will tackle key astrophysical challenges, including understanding the speed and acceleration of the universe’s expansion.

 

With more accurate measurements, experts will use the improved data from the project to enhance understanding of stellar evolution, habitable zones or exoplanets in proximity to Earth, and refine dark energy parameters, setting a foundation for the next great leaps in scientific discovery. “When we look at a star with a telescope, no one can tell you today the rate of photons or brightness coming from it with the desired level of accuracy,” Plavchan, who is also the director of Mason’s Observatories in Fairfax, said. “We will now know exactly how many photons-per-second come out of this source to .25 percent accuracy.”