The University of Arizona's Steward Observatory Mirror Lab in Tucson, Az. is preparing an event on Saturday showcasing the development of a future telescope, a huge mirror will be thrown inside a very hot kiln that has the ability to collect more light than any other instrument we have so far.
The third of the planned seven mirrors for the observatory, this huge mirror will be called Giant Magellan Mirror (GMT). When completed, with a facet likened from pieces of borosilicate glass that are subjected to about 2,140 degrees Fahrenheit within a revolving kiln, it will be roughly 27 feet wide and 20 tons heavy.
Scientists hope to have the GMT up and running in northern Chile by 2020. The mirrors will be fixed to work as one, bestowing the $700 million worth project with a resolving power 10 times sharper than that of the infamous Hubble Space Telescope of NASA.
Peter Strittmatter, head of the Astronomy Department in Steward Observatory, told Fox News that as always, astronomical discovery is hastened by the power of accessible imaging technology and telescopes. He also added that the GMT allows another breakthrough in both image sharpness and sensitivity.
With the help of seven smaller mirrors that will serve as an adaptive optic system that removes the blurring effect of the Earth’s atmosphere, the image sharpness will be obtained.
The future telescope will be utilized to mainly study the physics of black holes, investigate the nature of mysterious dark energy and dark matter and characterize and detect exoplanets.
The GMT, though very large, will not be the largest telescope scheduled for creation. It is one of the many enormous telescopes under construction to usher in a new pace of Earth-based astronomical research.
The first mirror of the GMT is already completed and refined to a surface accuracy within 25 nanometers, while the second mirror is already completed but still being refined.
The construction of the GMT facility is to take its course on 2014, with science operations commencing after six years.
The University of Arizona and the GMT team are welcoming reporters to be present at Saturday's mirror casting with Mike Wall of Space.com participating as tour guide.
