The University of Arizona-managed Large Binocular Telescope on Mount Graham boasts two 27-foot mirrors and powerful adaptive optics to capture high-resolution images of Jupiter’s moon, Io. New instrument, SHARK-VIS, allowed for detailed observations revealing surface features as small as 50 miles across, previously only possible with spacecraft. A major resurfacing event near volcano Pele was identified, showcasing Io’s intense volcanic activity. The images serve as a breakthrough in understanding the heat-driven material movement beneath Io’s surface, its internal structure, and the tidal heating mechanism behind its volcanism. The telescope’s capabilities have potential implications for studying volcanic worlds in exoplanet systems.
https://phys.org/news/2024-05-glimpses-volcanic-world-telescope-images.html