Biggish telescope

[Brian O]

Linked telescopes with large separations have been used to look at black holes.

A further step would be to launch three large telescopes into an orbit around the sun at the Earth's Lagrangian points.

This would give three telescopes at 120 degrees from each other.

Two would be in stable positions at 60 degrees from the Earth and one at 180 degrees, directly behind the Sun.

They would be in direct sight of each other and two would be in direct contact with the Earth.

If this were to work, the next step could be to use similar positions around Mars or any other planet.

Any thoughts?

[Astronomist]

You are referring to optical interferometry. As far as I am aware for this technique to work the light paths of the component telescopes must be physically brought together, meaning it simply is not feasible over the very long distances you describe. AFAIK the largest optical interferometer is the VLT at ~140 metres maximum baseline length. For radio telescopes however the data can be brought together via a computer, meaning extremely long baselines of thousands of miles are possible.

[Earl]

1 hour ago, Astronomist said:

You are referring to optical interferometry. As far as I am aware for this technique to work the light paths of the component telescopes must be physically brought together, meaning it simply is not feasible over the very long distances you describe. AFAIK the largest optical interferometer is the VLT at ~140 metres maximum baseline length. For radio telescopes however the data can be brought together via a computer, meaning extremely long baselines of thousands of miles are possible.

with greater bandwidth surly the same proces can be done with digital optical images

[Astronomist]

43 minutes ago, Earl said:

with greater bandwidth surly the same proces can be done with digital optical images

I assume this would have been done already if it was possible. Perhaps the computing power required is unfeasibly large?

[robin_astro]

23 hours ago, Earl said:

with greater bandwidth surly the same proces can be done with digital optical images

It is more a precision issue. The feeds from the multiple telescopes have to be kept in phase to a fraction of a wavelength (of light in the case proposed). Though there have been various proposals, I understand this is beyond our current technological capability

Robin

Edited April 5 by robin_astro
clarity

[robin_astro]

9 minutes ago, robin_astro said:

Though there have been various proposals, I understand this is beyond our current technological capability

This is an example,

https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2023AAS...24146307B/abstract

Though technology is being developed which might one day make it possible or perhaps achieve the even higher precision needed for space based gravitational wave measurements

https://lisa.nasa.gov/

a mission scheduled for launch mid 30's