Space & Astronomy

Construction begins on $1.4 billion telescope

By T.K. Randall
October 12, 2014 ·  12 comments

An artist's impression of how the telescope will look. Image Credit: TMT Observatory Corporation Following several years of plans and negotiations work has now finally begun on the gargantuan next-generation telescope which is being constructed in Hawaii atop the Mauna Kea volcano.

With a reflective surface of 30 meters the telescope will be able to peer further in to the reaches of the universe than ever before. It's cutting edge 'adaptive optics' system uses 492 separate hexagonal mirrors to enable it to adjust its focus to cancel out the blurring effect of Earth's atmosphere and capture a razor sharp image.Astronomers are hoping to use the telescope to conduct long-term studies on dark matter and supermassive black holes while learning as much as possible about the formation of galaxies.

The telescope should also prove invaluable in assisting with the hunt for extrasolar planets until the more specialized James Webb Space Telescope becomes operational.

Construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope is expected to be completed by 2022.

Source: Extremetech.com | Comments (12)

Tags: Thirty Meter Telescope