Extremely large telescope
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An extremely large telescope (ELT) is a telescope with a aperature of more than 20 m diameter.[1] when discussing reflecting telescopes of optical wavelengths including UV, Visible, and Near infrared wavelengths. Telescopes for other wavelengths can be much larger such as the 100 meter (109 yards) aperture on the Green Bank Telescope for radio wavelengths. ELTs are planned to increase the chance of finding earth-like planet around another star. [2]
These telescopes have a number of features in common, in particular the use of a segmented primary mirror (similar to the existing Keck telescopes), and the use of high-order adaptive optics systems. See also the List of largest optical reflecting telescopes for other large finished telescopes.
There are several telescopes in various stages of design or construction by the early 2000s:
- Under construction
- Proposed or early development
- E-ELT: European Extremely Large Telescope
- TMT: Thirty Meter Telescope
- GSMT: Giant Segmented Mirror Telescope
- OWL: Overwhelmingly Large Telescope
- VLOT: Very Large Optical Telescope
- LAT: Large Atacama Telescope
- EURO50: European 50-metre Telescope
- LPT: Large Petal Telescope
- JELT: Japanese ELT Project
- CELT: California Extremely Large Telescope
- Darwin Mission
[edit] References
- ^ See title of http://www.astro-opticon.org/fp5/skelcase.html and section 1 of http://www.aao.gov.au/instrum/ELT/ELTroadmap040917.pdf
- ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2006/aug/05/spaceexploration.universe Guardian August 2005
[edit] External links
- Australian National Workshop on Extremely Large Telescopes (ELTs)
- The OPTICON ELT Working Group a Europe-wide research project
- The science case for Extremely Large Telescopes (ELTs) from the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh
[edit] See also
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