World’s largest optical Telescope to be ready by 2028

The Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) will begin operations in 2028 and will be one of humanity’s most significant scientific achievements. Its primary mirror will be four times the size of a tennis court, and its light-gathering ability will be 40 times greater than that of the James Webb Space Telescope.

According to ABC News, once operational, the ELT will be recognized as the most powerful optical telescope in the world.

Davide Diana, one of the project managers for the ELT, emphasized that the telescope is not just a massive structure but also a susceptible scientific instrument. He noted, “Everything must work perfectly for such a project,” adding that they are pushing the boundaries of current engineering.

The telescope’s dome is 74 meters tall (22 stories) and 87 meters in diameter, weighing 6,000 tons. It can rotate up to one and a half full turns. Inside the dome is a 39-meter primary mirror, nearly four times the size of a tennis court.

The ELT’s mirror comprises 798 hexagonal panels, which slide on a layer of oil as thin as a hair. Each panel is equipped with precision pistons and sensors to maintain the mirror’s exact parabolic shape.

Located in Chile’s Atacama Desert, the ELT is protected by advanced seismic systems, as the region is prone to earthquakes. The telescope’s location, at 2,500 meters above sea level, provides ideal conditions for stargazing due to its extreme dryness and total darkness.

The ELT’s light-gathering ability is 40 times greater than the James Webb and 15 times more than current ground-based telescopes. Its builders promise unprecedented precision and detail in astronomical observations.

One of the ELT’s key goals is to detect Earth-like planets in nearby galaxies. Matthew Coles, an astronomer from the Australian National University, expressed hope that the ELT will identify planets similar to Earth orbiting stars like our Sun and search for signs of life.

While the ELT progresses toward completion, other giant telescope projects face challenges. The Giant Magellan Telescope, also planned for Chile, is still in early construction stages, and the Thirty Meter Telescope in Hawaii is facing strong opposition from native Hawaiians.

With backing from 16 European nations, the ELT’s construction continues smoothly. Upon completion, this massive telescope will open new windows to the universe and may help answer some of humanity’s greatest questions about the cosmos and life beyond Earth.

The ELT’s success will mark a revolutionary advancement in astronomy. It will offer new insights into distant galaxies and potentially reveal Earth-like planets, further pushing the boundaries of human knowledge.

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