Philosophy
Is this a good idea?
Hawaii beat out Chile to become the site of the Thirty-Meter Telescope, which is scheduled to be completed in 2018.
The giant telescope will have a single primary mirror that measures 30 meters across and is made up of 492 segments, giving it nine times more collecting surface than the the biggest telescopes on Earth today.
The Thirty-Meter Telescope will surpass even the Hubble Space Telescope in some ways, giving scientists a new view of some of the oldest stars and galaxies in the universe, as well as planets orbiting nearby stars.
Mauna Kea in Hawaii, the site of the Keck and Subaru telescopes, was among five candidate sites selected based on a global satellite assessment of atmosphere and climate variables. After further studies, Hawaii and Cerro Amazones in Chile rose to the top of the list.
"In the final analysis, the board selected Mauna Kea as the site for TMT," Edward Stone, Caltech physicist and vice chairman of the TMT board, said in a press release Tuesday. "The atmospheric conditions, low average temperatures, and very low humidity will open an exciting new discovery space using adaptive optics and infrared observations."
The project still needs to be approved by the the state and $100 million still needs to be raised for construction. The rest of the $300 million estimated cost will come from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. The telescope project is the joint venture of Caltech, the University of California and a group of Canadian Universities called ACURA.
"We are excited about the prospect of being the first of the next generation of extremely large telescopes," said Professor Ray Carlberg, the Canadian Large Optical Telescope project director and a TMT board member.
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Philosophy
Hawaii's Thirty-Meter Telescope
Is this a good idea?
"Mammoth Telescope to Be Built in Hawaii"
by
Betsy Mason
July 21st, 2009
Wired
by
Betsy Mason
July 21st, 2009
Wired
Hawaii beat out Chile to become the site of the Thirty-Meter Telescope, which is scheduled to be completed in 2018.
The giant telescope will have a single primary mirror that measures 30 meters across and is made up of 492 segments, giving it nine times more collecting surface than the the biggest telescopes on Earth today.
The Thirty-Meter Telescope will surpass even the Hubble Space Telescope in some ways, giving scientists a new view of some of the oldest stars and galaxies in the universe, as well as planets orbiting nearby stars.
Mauna Kea in Hawaii, the site of the Keck and Subaru telescopes, was among five candidate sites selected based on a global satellite assessment of atmosphere and climate variables. After further studies, Hawaii and Cerro Amazones in Chile rose to the top of the list.
"In the final analysis, the board selected Mauna Kea as the site for TMT," Edward Stone, Caltech physicist and vice chairman of the TMT board, said in a press release Tuesday. "The atmospheric conditions, low average temperatures, and very low humidity will open an exciting new discovery space using adaptive optics and infrared observations."
The project still needs to be approved by the the state and $100 million still needs to be raised for construction. The rest of the $300 million estimated cost will come from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. The telescope project is the joint venture of Caltech, the University of California and a group of Canadian Universities called ACURA.
"We are excited about the prospect of being the first of the next generation of extremely large telescopes," said Professor Ray Carlberg, the Canadian Large Optical Telescope project director and a TMT board member.
- The Vlt - A Space Opera
Why don't we start the new year with an uplifting video? The good folks from the European Southern Observatory's Paranal site in Chile's Very Large Telescope (that's what it's called) are constantly churning out magnificent discoveries...
- Lick Observatory May Be Shutdown
"Lick Observatory's astronomy research could end" by Lisa M. Krieger December 16th, 2013 mercurynews.com Astronomical research at Lick Observatory is in peril, due to the University of California's plans to cut funding and convert the 125-year-old...
- James Webb Space Telescope Game
...
- "400 Years Of The Telescope" On Pbs This Friday
Mark your calendar for this Friday night [April 10th] PBS will air "400 Years of the Telescope". "PBS documentary turns lens on 400 years of telescope" by William Loeffler April 3rd, 2009 TRIBUNE-REVIEW He filmed the world's most powerful telescopes...
- What A Year...astronomers Get Goodies
"Astronomers hit telescope jackpot" by Robert S. Boyd January 22nd, 2009 The Keene Sentinel Astronomers this year are about to get a windfall of new and improved telescopes of unprecedented power with which to explore the universe. The bonanza arrives...