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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- A University of Utah professor wants to use telescopes that measure gamma rays to begin measuring the light emitted by stars.
Stephan LeBohec, an assistant professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, says using those telescopes will result in better, high definition images of stars up to 1,000 light years away from the sun.
Currently, researchers mainly use indirect observations to determine the size and composition of a star. LeBohec says recent technological advances, directly measuring the "twinkle" of a star could give more insight into what a star is made of and its features.
LeBohec has two telescopes near Grantsville. They were originally used to measure gamma rays, but LeBohec says he'll try to use them to measure the fluctuations in light.
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Information from: The Salt Lake Tribune
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
