Telescope capabilities (James Nicoll and others?)

[seawasp]

Given what we expect to either orbit or build in the next 20-30 years, what would be the resolution of features we could see (or could we see at all) an object ~50km in size at various distances -- say a little outside of Pluto's orbit, inside of Uranus', inside of Saturn, and at Jupiter orbit. Assume there's sufficient interest that any instrument available could be commandeered to look at it. Additionally, (1) would there be any improvement in this capability possible over a few months' time (by presumably sending up new instruments -- I would assume not but I've been surprised before), and (2) what else could other instruments (radar, spectroscope, etc.) tell us about the object at these distant ranges?

Comments

[resonant.livejournal.com]

Wikipedia says if you use an array of telescopes, you can get a resolution of 0.001 arcsecond at optical wavelengths. So, assuming enough interest to get a small fleet of telescopes into orbit aimed at the same spot, you'd only be able to spot features on Pluto that were at least 21 to 36 kilometers wide (depending on where it was in its orbit).

So if there was a spacecraft ~50km wide at just outside Pluto's orbit, you'd not only be able to see it, you'd be able to get an idea of its shape (long structure indicating it was constructed, or blob that could be gravitationally-accreted debris).

You'd be able to spot SOMETHING out there at much greater distances, if you were watching for distant stars to flicker as something passed in front of them.

[anzig.livejournal.com]

Info for the thirty-meter telescope (TMT), which is aimed at a resolution of 0.008", says it can resolve 25km at the distance of Jupiter (http://www.tmt.org/sites/default/files/TMT_Scientific_Brochure.pdf).
The best we can manage is about 0.001" for the interferometers (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Very_Large_Telescope) and the proposed E-ELT (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Extremely_Large_Telescope). So assuming a combination of adaptive optics and lucky imaging lets the E-ELT run "maxed out", you could resolve an 8x8 grid of the object when it's near Jupiter.

Other professional installations (~0.01") will start resolving multiple pixels at about 3.5 AU.
Amateur setups (~0.2") at about 25 million km.

Spectroscopy should be able to tell you if it's emitting it's own light/reflecting the sun, relative motion, and surface composition (if reflecting).
Interesting story, a Saturn V third stage (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J002E3) ended up in near earth orbit and was partly identified due to spectroscopy showing it covered in titanium-oxide white paint.

As an aside, if the object is bright enough, a small amateur scope will provide the same info as one of the "big boys" until it's within multi-pixel range.