In a demonstration of its potential resolving power, infrared images released Monday by the new Gemini Observatory gave astronomers the most detailed look yet at the exotic nature of our galaxy's center.

The images were taken by Gemini's 8.1-meter (319-inch) telescope atop Mauna Kea, Hawaii. They provide one of the sharpest views of the stars and clouds that surround a supermassive black hole -- millions of times the mass of the Sun -- at the core of our galaxy.

Those images have helped astronomers better understand one unusual object located just a few light-years from the galactic core. IRS8, an object that appeared as little more than a smudge in previous images of the region, is revealed in the Gemini images to be star plowing into a cloud of gas and dust. The star creates a bow-shock wave as it passes through the cloud that is clearly shown in the Gemini images.

"Never before have we seen such a large area of the galactic center this clearly," says Francois Rigaut, the Gemini Observatory astronomer who led the project, the first scientific use of the new telescope.

Astronomers dont fully understand the relationship between the star and cloud that comprise IRS8, because they have yet to determine how the two are moving relative to each other. The project team hopes to accelerate research into this and other objects observed by releasing the data 60 images totaling 250 megabytes to the astronomical community now, rather than retaining it within the project team for additional research.

"The data is being released to scientists worldwide regardless of affiliation so that astronomers can make the most of this data as quickly as possible," says Rigaut.

By releasing the images, observatory officials also hope to impress astronomers with the quality of data possible with the new telescope. "This is the first scientific data to be released to the astronomical community by the Gemini Observatory," said observatory director Matt Mountain, "and to be able to release such a spectacular image and data set shows the tremendous potential of these telescopes."

Geminis images are so sharp because of the use of a technique called adaptive optics, where a mirror in the telescope is constantly manipulated to correct for the effects of the turbulence of the Earths atmosphere that distorts and blurs images. Such a system can create images with even greater clarity than possible with the Hubble Space Telescope.

Many observatories have invested in adaptive optics systems in recent years, including Geminis neighbor, the twin 10-meter (394-inch) telescopes of the Keck Observatory. However, Mountain explained to SPACE.com that Gemini has a key advantage over other observatories. Most systems require focusing on a nearby bright star to serve as a guide to measuring the image distortions, thus limiting the objects that can be observed with them; the Gemini system, named Hokupaa (Hawaiian for "immovable star"), can use much fainter stars. As a result, said Mountain, "we can do things like look at the galactic center and other galaxies," which other systems cannot do.

However, Mountain added that Geminis capabilities should prove complementary to Keck, which can do higher resolution imaging that Gemini but over a smaller area. "Were careful not to try and trip over each other," he said.

As the name suggests, Gemini Observatory is a twin-telescope system, with identical large telescopes thousands of kilometers apart to look at the northern and southern skies. Gemini North, as the Hawaii telescope is known, is currently being commissioned and will begin regular scientific use early next year. Its twin, Gemini South, is being built on Cerro Pachon in central Chile. Mountain said that Gemini South should take its first images in the next few months and enter service about six months after Gemini North.

The telescopes are being built by an international consortium led by the U.S. National Science Foundation, with participation by Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile and Great Britain.