Yes, it is possible to combine multiple telescopes to create what is known as a "super" or "virtual" telescope. This technique is called interferometry and allows astronomers to achieve much higher resolution and sensitivity than what a single telescope could achieve on its own.
Interferometry works by combining the light from two or more telescopes and using the interference patterns of the combined light to extract information about the observed object. The telescopes are usually separated by some distance, which is referred to as the baseline. The larger the baseline, the higher the resolution that can be achieved.
There are two main types of interferometry:
Long-baseline interferometry: This involves combining the light from telescopes that are widely spaced apart, sometimes located hundreds or even thousands of meters away from each other. This technique is used in radio astronomy and optical/infrared astronomy. It can effectively simulate the effect of a much larger telescope, resulting in improved spatial resolution.
Aperture synthesis interferometry: In this approach, multiple telescopes are arranged in an array close together, forming a virtual aperture that is equivalent to the size of the maximum separation between the telescopes. It is commonly used in radio astronomy and allows the creation of high-resolution images.
One of the most significant examples of interferometry is the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT), which successfully captured the first-ever image of a black hole in 2019. The EHT combined radio telescopes from around the world, creating a virtual Earth-sized telescope with unprecedented resolution.
Interferometry is a powerful technique in astronomy that continues to advance our understanding of the universe by enabling us to observe celestial objects with exceptional detail and sensitivity.