RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Imaging the Surface of Altair
JF Science
JO Science
FD American Association for the Advancement of Science
SP 342
OP 345
DO 10.1126/science.1143205
VO 317
IS 5836
A1 Monnier, John D.
A1 Zhao, M.
A1 Pedretti, E.
A1 Thureau, N.
A1 Ireland, M.
A1 Muirhead, P.
A1 Berger, J.-P.
A1 Millan-Gabet, R.
A1 Van Belle, G.
A1 ten Brummelaar, T.
A1 McAlister, H.
A1 Ridgway, S.
A1 Turner, N.
A1 Sturmann, L.
A1 Sturmann, J.
A1 Berger, D.
YR 2007
UL http://science.sciencemag.org/content/317/5836/342.abstract
AB Spatially resolving the surfaces of nearby stars promises to advance our knowledge of stellar physics. Using optical long-baseline interferometry, we constructed a near-infrared image of the rapidly rotating hot star Altair with a resolution of <1 milliarcsecond. The image clearly reveals the strong effect of gravity darkening on the highly distorted stellar photosphere. Standard models for a uniformly rotating star cannot explain our findings, which appear to result from differential rotation, alternative gravity-darkening laws, or both.