ELT Dome’sโค observation Hatches Begin first Movements, Signaling Major โMilestone
Cerro Armazones, Chile โค- In a demonstration of engineeringโ precision, the first of the Extremely Large Telescope‘s (ELT) massiveโฃ observationโ hatches recently completed its initial movement, marking aโข critical step โขtoward the telescope’s 2029 commissioning.โข The โคhatches,each โweighing in at a future 650 tonnes – exceeding โขtheโข maximum takeoff weight of an Airbusโฃ A380 (575 tonnes) – are integral to the 80-meter high dome that will house the world’s largest optical/near-infraredโ telescope.
The Europeanโค Southern Observatory (ESO) is constructing the ELT on Cerro Armazones โin the Chilean Andes. This advancement signifies more than just mechanical progress;โฃ it paves the way for the completion of the telescope’s structure by 2026 and the subsequent installation of its 39-meter diameter primary mirror โinโ 2027. Once operational,the ELT will boast โa light-gathering power twenty timesโข greater than that of the Veryโ Large Telescope (VLT),currently โฃESO’s flagship observatory,and promises to fundamentallyโ reshapeโข our understanding of astrophysics,including the search for and characterization of exoplanets.
The time-lapse ofโฃ theโฃ hatch’s movement โunderscores the sheer โขscale andโฃ complexity of the project. Currently, work continues toโข fully equipโค the โhatches with essential systems like walkways, โheating,โ ventilation, and air conditioning.
those interested in โfollowing the ELT’s construction can view live feeds from โseveral webcams located at the site: https://elt.eso.org/about/webcams/.