An artist's rendition of the star Altair, based on data obtained through University of Michigan-led observations. Using a suite of four telescopes, U-M led an international team at Georgia State University's Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy (CHARA). Using the interferometric array on Mount Wilson, Calif., they were able to capture an image of Altair with such fine detail that variations can be seen on the star's surface. Altair spins so quickly it stretches at its equator. Altair is one of the closest stars to our own and a fixture in the summer sky. While astronomers have recently imaged a few of the enormous, dying, red-giant stars, this is the first time anyone has seen the surface of a relatively tiny hydrogen-burning star like our own sun.