EU funded research developed a technique to produce real-time, high-resolution images of distant galaxies. The technique, called Electronic Very Long Baseline Interferometry (e-VLBI), allows multiple radio telescopes throughout the world to work together to simulate one giant telescope. This not only improves the quality of observation results but also helps to maximise the return on investment in radio telescopes.

Thanks to EU-funding, a groundbreaking technique to produce real-time, high-resolution images of distant galaxies has been developed by astronomers. Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) observations are performed by telescopes distributed across several countries that simultaneously point at the same source. Furthermore, this technique allows telescopes to connect directly to the central supercomputer via optical fibres, avoiding the costs of managing storage media and bringing much faster results. Then the data is processed in real-time, providing astronomers with scientific results in a matter of hours rather than weeks.

Two high- capacity electronic communications networks projects, EXPReS and NEXPReS, which have received €7.4 million in EU funding, are supporting the development and use of e-VLBI astronomy. Commission Vice-President and responsible for the Digital Agenda Neelie Kroes stated that this technique is great news because develops e-Infrastructures to build Europe's innovative advantage, which is one of the priorities of the Digital Agenda for Europe unveiled by the European Commission on 2010.

The e-VLBI technique, which previously limited to Europe and now being used on a global scale, was recently used to observe a "Seyfert galaxy" revealing the emission of powerful gamma rays thought only to originate from the most powerful type of black holes. No other galaxy of this kind had ever been detected at such high energy, and it could be the first member of a new class of cosmic objects.