They may not physically go — boldly or otherwise — where no one has gone before, but astronomers often see what no one has seen before. Thanks to photonic innovations and techniques, the ability to uncover the secrets of the cosmos continues to advance.

Developments in adaptive optics, for example, promise to further overcome atmospheric jitter and to help ground-based instruments function almost as well as those in space. Astronomers are combining the power of multiple telescopes into the equivalent of a single, giant device by exploiting fiber optics. And new techniques spot Earth-size worlds circling other stars...