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Liquid Mirrors Can Only Point Straight Up. Could Magnets Solve This Problem?


Astronomers have developed several versions of rotating liquid metal telescopes, which use the force of gravity and centripetal force to create a natural telescope lens. They work, but there's a downside: they can only point straight up, in the opposite direction of gravity. A new paper is investigating how electromagnets could work with magnetic fluids (ferrofluids) to shape the liquid into a spherical shape and give it more viewing angles.

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Liquid Mirrors Can Only Point Straight Up. Could Magnets Solve This Problem?

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