Construction has now started on the worlds largest telescope the Giant Magellan Telescope in the Chilean Andes. The Giant Magellan Telescope, GMT for short is a ground-based telescope which is hoped will be completed in 2019, and will have over four times the light-gathering ability of existing telescopes currently in use.
The unique design which incorporates seven mirror segments have been arranged to create one massive mirror which will provide the telescope with all its power. Patrick McCarthy, director at GMTO (Giant Magellan Telescope Organization) explained to Mashable.
Once finished the Giant Magellan Telescope will consist of seven 8.4 m (27.6 ft) diameter primary segments, with the resolving power of a 24.5 m (80.4 ft) primary mirror and collecting area equivalent to 21.4 m (70.2 ft).
“The telescope will be used by scientists at our partner institutions,”-“Some of the nights will go to small projects led by one person, others will go to ‘key’ projects that address big questions line exoplanet atmospheres, dark energy, dark matter and so on.”
Source: Mashable
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