Huge new telescope debuts in the Canary Islands
Tests have begun on one of the world’s
largest optical telescopes.
Interior main structure - completed 2002
Tests have begun on one of the world’s largest optical telescopes, installed on a mountain in the Canary Islands.
Situated on a 2,400m-high (7,900ft) peak on the island of La Palma, the huge telescope consists of a mirror measuring 10.4m (34.1ft) in diameter.
The Spanish-led Great Canary Telescope (GTC) is extremely powerful and will be able to spot some of the faintest, most distant objects in the Universe.
Based at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, the optical telescope is made up from 36 separate hexagonal mirror segments which together form the 10.4m primary mirror.
Another one of those careers I never got round to. Read the article. Interesting stuff going on - beyond the ken or care of our decision-makers and nation-builders.
Posted: Sat - July 14, 2007 at 08:01 AM