Subscribe to GMT News feed GMT News
World’s most powerful telescope designed to discover the unknown. The Universe Awaits.
Updated: 26 min 6 sec ago

The Giant Magellan Telescope’s Final Mirror Fabrication Begins

Tue, 09/26/2023 - 22:00

Seven of the world’s largest mirrors will search the Universe for life beyond Earth

PASADENA, CA — September 26, 2023 — The Giant Magellan Telescope begins the four-year process to fabricate and polish its seventh and final primary mirror, the last required to complete the telescope’s 368 square meter light collecting surface, the world’s largest and most challenging optics ever produced. Together, the mirrors will collect more light than any other telescope in existence, allowing humanity to unlock the secrets of the Universe by providing detailed chemical analyses of celestial objects and their origin.

Last week, the University of Arizona Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab closed the lid on nearly 20 tons of the purest optical glass inside a one-of-a-kind oven housed beneath the stands of the Arizona Wildcats Football Stadium. The spinning oven will heat the glass to 1,165°C so as it melts, it is forced outward to form the mirror’s curved paraboloid surface. Measuring 8.4-meters in diameter—about two stories tall when standing on edge—the mirror will cool over the next three months before moving into the polishing stage.

At 50 million times more powerful than the human eye, “the telescope will make history through its future discoveries,” shares Buell Jannuzi, Principal Investigator for the fabrication of the Giant Magellan Telescope primary mirror segments, Director of Steward Observatory, and Head of the Department of Astronomy at the University of Arizona. “We are thrilled to be closing in on another milestone in the fabrication of the Giant Magellan Telescope.”

University of Arizona Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab staff members placing chunks of Ohara E6 low expansion glass into a mold for casting the Giant Magellan Telescope’s seventh primary mirror, September 2023. Credit: Damien Jemison, Giant Magellan Telescope – GMTO Corporation

The most recently completed primary mirror is ready for integration into a giant support system prototype early next year for final optical performance testing. This testing will serve as the dress rehearsal for all seven primary mirrors. Once assembled, all seven mirrors will work in concert as one monolithic 25.4-meter mirror—a diameter equal to the length of a full-grown blue whale—resulting in up to 200 times the sensitivity and four times the image resolution of today’s most advanced space telescopes.

The Giant Magellan Telescope will be the first extremely large telescope to complete its primary mirror array. With strong operational infrastructure completed at the telescope site in Chile, focused manufacturing is taking place on the telescope’s critical subsystem before starting on the enclosure.

“We are in an important stage of fabrication, with much of the manufacturing happening in the United States,” shares Robert Shelton, President of the Giant Magellan Telescope.

The 39-meter-tall telescope structure is being manufactured with 2,100 tons of American steel at a newly-built manufacturing facility in Rockford, Illinois, and fabrication of the telescope’s first of seven adaptive secondary mirrors—a one for one pair with each of the seven primary mirrors—is underway.

“The combination of light-gathering power, efficiency, and image resolution will enable us to make new discoveries across all fields of astronomy,” shares Rebecca Bernstein, Chief Scientist for the Giant Magellan Telescope. “We will have a unique combination of capabilities for studying planets at high spatial and spectral resolution, both of which are key to determining if a planet has a rocky composition like our Earth, if it contains liquid water, and if its atmosphere contains the right combination of molecules to indicate the presence of life.”

The telescope is expected to see first light by the end of the decade, and will work to answer some of humanity’s most pressing questions: Where did we come from? Are we alone in the Universe?

About

The Giant Magellan Telescope is the future of space exploration from Earth. Using seven of the world’s largest mirrors, the 25.4-meter telescope will produce the most detailed images ever taken of our Universe. It will uncover the cosmic mysteries of dark matter, investigate the origins of chemical elements, and verify signs of life on distant planets for the first time. The Giant Magellan Telescope is the work of the GMTO Corporation, an international consortium of thirteen research institutions representing six countries. The telescope is under construction in Chile and anticipated to be completed in the late 2020s.

The Universe Awaits at giantmagellan.org.

Media Kit & Multimedia

Multimedia assets and media usage statement available here until October 26, 2023.

Media Contact Ryan Kallabis Director of Communications & Outreach rkallabis@gmto.org +1 626 204 0554

The post The Giant Magellan Telescope’s Final Mirror Fabrication Begins appeared first on Giant Magellan Telescope.

Categories: GMT News

Protected: Searching for Life Beyond Earth

Wed, 09/13/2023 - 18:00

This content is password protected. To view it please enter your password below:

Password:

The post Protected: Searching for Life Beyond Earth appeared first on Giant Magellan Telescope.

Categories: GMT News

Digital Art Contest Invites You to Imagine the Universe Beyond Our Solar System

Tue, 05/16/2023 - 18:00

Scientific work has long been a powerful source of inspiration for the arts. The Giant Magellan Telescope – under construction in the north of Chile at Las Campanas Observatory – in partnership with Antenna Foundation – connecting people with art and culture – summon digital creators ages 14 and up in this pioneer initiative.

SANTIAGO, CHILE — May 16, 2023 — Science and art come together with Extrasolar, the first Chilean digital art contest that invites both the youth and adults to imagine what the universe is like beyond our solar system. With a first prize of $5 million pesos, the initiative – driven by Fundación Antenna and the Giant Magellan Telescope – seeks to promote the relationship between astronomy and art through creativity, in order to visualize distant exoplanets.

The call is open from May 15 – July 31. During this period, Chileans and foreigners residing in Chile may submit one unpublished work (digital animation or video) of 40 seconds or less. An outstanding group of juries representing both the scientific community and art community will select a first prize winner who will be awarded $5 million pesos. The contest will also call for a public vote, including a second prize award of $2 million pesos, and two honorable mentions with a prize award of $1.5 million pesos each. To participate, upload a link to your video and provide information as requested at www.extrasolar.cl.

Alfonso Díaz, Executive Director of Antenna Foundation, notes that “there is a point where science and art connect in a wonderful way because what people cannot see, they can imagine. Long before we even dreamed of knowing the universe beyond our planet, there were artists and illustrators imagining what constellations and planets may be like. We invite everyone who wants to use their creativity in service of science to participate in the Extrasolar contest”.

“Through this contest, we want to share and encourage critical and creative thinking that characterizes scientific and astronomical exploration, it’s discoveries and possibilities. This initiative is a great opportunity to find new ways to link this frontier science with the public. The Giant Magellan Telescope will be the most powerful telescope in the world. Its unique design will produce the highest possible image resolution of the universe over the widest field of view ever achieved by any telescope, allowing humanity to answer big questions about the creation of the universe and our place in it,” shares Oscar Contreras, Vice President and Legal Representative in Chile for the Giant Magellan Telescope.

About

Antenna Foundation is a foundation for the development of Chilean visual arts. We collaborate with enterprises and organizations to transform people through arts and culture. Learn more at antenna.cl.

The Giant Magellan Telescope is the future of space exploration. Using seven of the world’s largest mirrors, the 25.4-meter telescope will produce the most detailed images ever taken of our Universe. It will uncover the cosmic mysteries of dark matter, investigate the origins of chemical elements, and verify signs of life on distant planets for the first time. The Giant Magellan Telescope is the work of the GMTO Corporation, an international consortium of leading research institutions representing five countries. The telescope is under construction in Chile and anticipated to be completed in the late 2020s. The Universe Awaits at giantmagellan.org.

Media Contact Sandra Gurovich Communications Consultant sgurovich@gmto.org

The post Digital Art Contest Invites You to Imagine the Universe Beyond Our Solar System appeared first on Giant Magellan Telescope.

Categories: GMT News

A Giant Telescope Grows in Chile

Wed, 04/19/2023 - 02:10
Categories: GMT News

Protecting the World’s Largest Mirrors

Tue, 03/28/2023 - 17:00

A look inside the Giant Magellan Telescope’s primary mirror support system

When far away light from an object in the universe is collected by a telescope, it first encounters a special surface called a primary mirror. These mirrors are fabricated to be as giant as possible so the human eye can see farther into deep space than ever before. They are also made to be as smooth as possible so that its surface has no imperfections greater than 1/1,000th the width of a human hair. Crafting a telescope’s primary mirror takes many years and is a marvel of modern engineering.

The Giant Magellan Telescope uses seven of the world’s largest and heaviest primary mirrors to collect light from the universe. Each are 8.4 meters in diameter, weigh 17 tons, and are arranged in a unique flower pattern to create a seamless 368 square meter light collecting surface. While the primary mirrors are incredibly important to the Giant Magellan’s ability to do science, the complex process of transforming the light it collects into science begins in the support system that protects these giant mirrors. Just below the monolithic 25.4-meter-primary mirror sits seven primary mirror support systems – also known as mirror cells – that act in unison to focus the light, align optical components and correct imaging deformations due to gravity and extreme temperature swings. Each mirror support system houses the most advanced optical technologies on Earth, including a thermal control and active optics system.

University of Arizona Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab staff members in the foreground looking up at the back of a Giant Magellan primary mirror. Image credit: Damien Jemison, Giant Magellan Telescope – GMTO Corporation

Meeting the active control requirements on large aperture telescopes, like the Giant Magellan, demands new innovations in technology. “Such advancements come with many technical risks which require detailed prototyping and testing of the engineering designs,” shares Trupti Ranka, a senior control systems engineer for the Giant Magellan.

Trupti Ranka, a senior control systems engineer for the Giant Magellan, adjusting a triple actuator inside the Giant Magellan Telescope mirror support system prototype at the University of Arizona Tech Park. Image credit: Damien Jemison, Giant Magellan Telescope – GMTO Corporation

Each mirror support system must be compact and lightweight for the telescope to be stiff and stable in resisting image quality interruptions. As a precursor to the fabrication of the seven mirror support systems, a full-scale prototype has been built to validate design decisions and demonstrate the performance. The prototype includes the hardware and software that control the shape, position, and thermal state of a 17-ton single primary mirror on the Giant Magellan. The precision control technologies within the mirror support system allow for real-time shaping and positioning within 200 nanometers. With this, all seven primary mirrors work in concert, behaving as one monolithic 25.4-meter mirror.

Active Optics System

An array of interface features is attached to the mechanisms that support and control the primary mirror – active supports and static supports. Active supports include 170 pneumatic actuators that lift and shape the primary mirror through applied force, as well as six linear actuators that position the primary mirror in six degrees-of-freedom.

Single actuator (left) and triple actuator (right). The mechanical parts of the actuators are assembled at Texas A&M University and integrated into the prototype mirror support system at the University of Arizona Tech Park. The software control system built into these actuators sends commands and read back results in just 10 milliseconds. Image credit: Damien Jemison, Giant Magellan Telescope – GMTO Corporation

While the active supports allow for precise control of the primary mirror figure and position, the static supports hold the primary mirror in its resting position with wire rope isolators. The telescope will be exposed to regular seismic events in Chile’s Atacama Desert – one of the most seismically active regions in the world. During an earthquake, over 300 static supports work to secure the primary mirror by lifting it against gravity through distributed forces to its back surface. All while combating excessive stress on the glass from the elastic and thermal deformation of the steel weldment. Ranka shares that in addition to the static supports, “dampers, that have the same function as shock absorbers in our cars,” have been implemented into the actuators to mitigate the motion of the glass during an earthquake.

Thermal Control System

Simulation of the magnitude of refractive index spatial gradient distribution on the telescope enclosure mid-sectional plane. The Giant Magellan’s computational fluid dynamics model is used to simulate and analyze the aero-optical environment around the observatory. Credit: Giant Magellan Telescope – GMTO Corporation

“As the night air cools, the mismatch in temperature between the air and the primary mirror causes localized turbulence. To minimize this effect, called the seeing effect, it is important to match the temperature of the mirror to the ambient air around it,” shares Ranka. A closed-cycle forced-air convection system is used to maintain a thermal equilibrium within the telescope enclosure and reduce thermal gradients across the primary mirror surface. Fourteen air handler units utilizing CO2 based refrigeration – the first system of its kind used for telescopes – are mounted to the interior of the mirror support system to circulate the air.

Prototype Testing

At the University of Arizona Tech Park, the prototype has undergone functional, performance, and safety testing with a steel surrogate mirror, simulating the mass, center of gravity, and stiffness of a primary mirror. Last year, the synchronized functions of all components were successfully demonstrated in a raising sequence of the surrogate mirror. Ranka described, “in this sequence the weight of the surrogate mirror is carefully offloaded to the force actuators from the static supports and able to move freely in a controlled fashion.”

Sequence of raising the surrogate mirror off the static supports, translation of the surrogate mirror along the Y-axis +/- 6 mm at a max speed of 50 um/sec, returning to the nominal position, and lowering onto the static supports. Credit: Giant Magellan Telescope – GMTO Corporation

Of the seven primary mirrors, three are complete and three are in various stages of fabrication at the University of Arizona Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab. The most recently completed primary mirror has been primed for integration into the prototype later this year for significant testing. This testing will serve as the dress rehearsal for all seven primary mirrors. In anticipation of the testing, Ranka expressed that “this is the only chance to ensure the integrated mirror support system can control the optical surface of the primary mirror as needed.”

To learn more about the Giant Magellan’s supporting structure, explore the telescope mount and view our image gallery of the fabrication.

The post Protecting the World’s Largest Mirrors appeared first on Giant Magellan Telescope.

Categories: GMT News

Protecting the World’s Largest Mirrors

Tue, 03/28/2023 - 17:00

A look inside the Giant Magellan Telescope’s primary mirror support system

When far away light from an object in the universe is collected by a telescope, it first encounters a special surface called a primary mirror. These mirrors are fabricated to be as giant as possible so the human eye can see farther into deep space than ever before. They are also made to be as smooth as possible so that its surface has no imperfections greater than 1/1,000th the width of a human hair. Crafting a telescope’s primary mirror takes many years and is a marvel of modern engineering.

The Giant Magellan Telescope uses seven of the world’s largest and heaviest primary mirrors to collect light from the universe. Each are 8.4 meters in diameter, weigh 17 tons, and are arranged in a unique flower pattern to create a seamless 368 square meter light collecting surface. While the primary mirrors are incredibly important to the Giant Magellan’s ability to do science, the complex process of transforming the light it collects into science begins in the support system that protects these giant mirrors. Just below the monolithic 25.4-meter-primary mirror sits seven primary mirror support systems – also known as mirror cells – that act in unison to focus the light, align optical components and correct imaging deformations due to gravity and extreme temperature swings. Each mirror support system houses the most advanced optical technologies on Earth, including a thermal control and active optics system.

University of Arizona Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab staff members in the foreground looking up at the back of a Giant Magellan primary mirror. Image credit: Damien Jemison, Giant Magellan Telescope – GMTO Corporation

Meeting the active control requirements on large aperture telescopes, like the Giant Magellan, demands new innovations in technology. “Such advancements come with many technical risks which require detailed prototyping and testing of the engineering designs,” shares Trupti Ranka, a senior control systems engineer for the Giant Magellan.

Trupti Ranka, a senior control systems engineer for the Giant Magellan, adjusting a triple actuator inside the Giant Magellan Telescope mirror support system prototype at the University of Arizona Tech Park. Image credit: Damien Jemison, Giant Magellan Telescope – GMTO Corporation

Each mirror support system must be compact and lightweight for the telescope to be stiff and stable in resisting image quality interruptions. As a precursor to the fabrication of the seven mirror support systems, a full-scale prototype has been built to validate design decisions and demonstrate the performance. The prototype includes the hardware and software that control the shape, position, and thermal state of a 17-ton single primary mirror on the Giant Magellan. The precision control technologies within the mirror support system allow for real-time shaping and positioning within 200 nanometers. With this, all seven primary mirrors work in concert, behaving as one monolithic 25.4-meter mirror.

Active Optics System

An array of interface features is attached to the mechanisms that support and control the primary mirror – active supports and static supports. Active supports include 170 pneumatic actuators that lift and shape the primary mirror through applied force, as well as six linear actuators that position the primary mirror in six degrees-of-freedom.

Single actuator (left) and triple actuator (right). The mechanical parts of the actuators are assembled at Texas A&M University and integrated into the prototype mirror support system at the University of Arizona Tech Park. The software control system built into these actuators sends commands and read back results in just 10 milliseconds. Image credit: Damien Jemison, Giant Magellan Telescope – GMTO Corporation

While the active supports allow for precise control of the primary mirror figure and position, the static supports hold the primary mirror in its resting position with wire rope isolators. The telescope will be exposed to regular seismic events in Chile’s Atacama Desert – one of the most seismically active regions in the world. During an earthquake, over 300 static supports work to secure the primary mirror by lifting it against gravity through distributed forces to its back surface. All while combating excessive stress on the glass from the elastic and thermal deformation of the steel weldment. Ranka shares that in addition to the static supports, “dampers, that have the same function as shock absorbers in our cars,” have been implemented into the actuators to mitigate the motion of the glass during an earthquake.

Thermal Control System

Simulation of the magnitude of refractive index spatial gradient distribution on the telescope enclosure mid-sectional plane. The Giant Magellan’s computational fluid dynamics model is used to simulate and analyze the aero-optical environment around the observatory. Credit: Giant Magellan Telescope – GMTO Corporation

“As the night air cools, the mismatch in temperature between the air and the primary mirror causes localized turbulence. To minimize this effect, called the seeing effect, it is important to match the temperature of the mirror to the ambient air around it,” shares Ranka. A closed-cycle forced-air convection system is used to maintain a thermal equilibrium within the telescope enclosure and reduce thermal gradients across the primary mirror surface. Fourteen air handler units utilizing CO2 based refrigeration – the first system of its kind used for telescopes – are mounted to the interior of the mirror support system to circulate the air.

Prototype Testing

At the University of Arizona Tech Park, the prototype has undergone functional, performance, and safety testing with a steel surrogate mirror, simulating the mass, center of gravity, and stiffness of a primary mirror. Last year, the synchronized functions of all components were successfully demonstrated in a raising sequence of the surrogate mirror. Ranka described, “in this sequence the weight of the surrogate mirror is carefully offloaded to the force actuators from the static supports and able to move freely in a controlled fashion.”

Sequence of raising the surrogate mirror off the static supports, translation of the surrogate mirror along the Y-axis +/- 6 mm at a max speed of 50 um/sec, returning to the nominal position, and lowering onto the static supports. Credit: Giant Magellan Telescope – GMTO Corporation

Of the seven primary mirrors, three are complete and three are in various stages of fabrication at the University of Arizona Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab. The most recently completed primary mirror has been primed for integration into the prototype later this year for significant testing. This testing will serve as the dress rehearsal for all seven primary mirrors. In anticipation of the testing, Ranka expressed that “this is the only chance to ensure the integrated mirror support system can control the optical surface of the primary mirror as needed.”

To learn more about the Giant Magellan’s supporting structure, explore the telescope mount and view our image gallery of the fabrication.

The post Protecting the World’s Largest Mirrors appeared first on Giant Magellan Telescope.

Categories: GMT News

Planetario en el Teatro Municipal de Santiago

Sat, 01/07/2023 - 18:00

Acercando la astronomía a través de la vida y obra del Rey sabio Alfonso X

Ciencia y arte se unen para asombrar al público infantil y adulto en estas vacaciones de verano, gracias a la colaboración entre Telescopio Magallanes Gigante (GMT) y el Teatro Municipal de Santiago.

Los días 8, 14 y 15 de enero se instalará el Planetario Itinerante en el Foyer Principal del Teatro Municipal de Santiago, en el marco de las funciones de la obra familiar “El Rey que quería ser músico”, oportunidad en la que los asistentes podrán vivir una experiencia inmersiva única, aprender sobre astronomía y los secretos del universo a través de un “Viaje al centro de la vía láctea”, presenciando constelaciones y agujeros negros.

El rey que quería ser músico es una obra de teatro musical producida por el Pequeño Municipal y cuya dirección de escena, guion y actuación está a cargo de Alonso Torres, coordinador de este programa que acerca a niñas y niños a las artes que se cultivan en el Municipal de Santiago de manera didáctica y entretenida. La obra trata sobre la vida y obra de Alfonso X, el rey que contribuyó a la cultura y patrimonio mundial, dejando un gran legado astronómico.

“Esta es una oportunidad inédita que nos tiene muy contentos, fomentando la cultura y educación científica de forma lúdica y diferenciadora, acercando la astronomía y el trabajo de los observatorios como GMT directamente al público, que podrá enriquecerse a través de la gran puesta en escena que significa el teatro y el planetario en un mismo lugar” afirma Oscar Contreras, representante y vicepresidente de Telescopio Magallanes Gigante.

Por su parte, Carmen Gloria Larenas, directora general del Teatro Municipal de Santiago señala que “uno de los desafíos de las artes en general, es conectar con universos significativos por motivos diferentes, pero con los que hay posibilidades de cruce que resultan enriquecedores para todas las personas, sobre todo para los más jóvenes. Es por eso, que esta oportunidad de vincular el espectáculo “El Rey que quería ser músico”, con sus personajes, música e instrumentos medievales, con el mundo del cielo y las estrellas, es maravilloso. Chile es un país que se identifica con lo cielos y es un orgullo haber logrado, como organización y a través de nuestros equipos, esta colaboración que transformará por dentro al Teatro Municipal de Santiago”.

Acerca de

El Telescopio Magallanes Gigante es el futuro de la exploración espacial. Usando siete de los espejos más grandes del mundo, el telescopio de 25.4-metros producirá las imágenes con más detalles del Universo jamás tomadas. Descubrirá los misterios cósmicos de la materia oscura, investigará el origen de los elementos químicos, y verificará señales de vida en planetas distantes por primera vez en la historia. El Telescopio Magallanes Gigante es un proyecto de la Corporación GMTO, un consorcio internacional de prestigiosas universidades e instituciones científicas de cinco países. El telescopio está en construcción en el Observatorio Las Campanas en Chile y espera estar completado a fines de la década de 2020s. El Universo Espera en giantmagellan.org.

Contacto de Prensa Oscar Contreras-Villarroel Vicepresidente y Representante Legal, Chile ocontreras@gmto.org +56 9 9150 4292

The post Planetario en el Teatro Municipal de Santiago appeared first on Giant Magellan Telescope.

Categories: GMT News

Planetario en el Teatro Municipal de Santiago

Sat, 01/07/2023 - 11:09

Acercando la astronomía a través de la vida y obra del Rey sabio Alfonso X

Ciencia y arte se unen para asombrar al público infantil y adulto en estas vacaciones de verano, gracias a la colaboración entre Telescopio Magallanes Gigante (GMT) y el Teatro Municipal de Santiago.

Los días 8, 14 y 15 de enero se instalará el Planetario Itinerante en el Foyer Principal del Teatro Municipal de Santiago, en el marco de las funciones de la obra familiar “El Rey que quería ser músico”, oportunidad en la que los asistentes podrán vivir una experiencia inmersiva única, aprender sobre astronomía y los secretos del universo a través de un “Viaje al centro de la vía láctea”, presenciando constelaciones y agujeros negros.

El rey que quería ser músico es una obra de teatro musical producida por el Pequeño Municipal y cuya dirección de escena, guion y actuación está a cargo de Alonso Torres, coordinador de este programa que acerca a niñas y niños a las artes que se cultivan en el Municipal de Santiago de manera didáctica y entretenida. La obra trata sobre la vida y obra de Alfonso X, el rey que contribuyó a la cultura y patrimonio mundial, dejando un gran legado astronómico.

“Esta es una oportunidad inédita que nos tiene muy contentos, fomentando la cultura y educación científica de forma lúdica y diferenciadora, acercando la astronomía y el trabajo de los observatorios como GMT directamente al público, que podrá enriquecerse a través de la gran puesta en escena que significa el teatro y el planetario en un mismo lugar” afirma Oscar Contreras, representante y vicepresidente de Telescopio Magallanes Gigante.

Por su parte, Carmen Gloria Larenas, directora general del Teatro Municipal de Santiago señala que “uno de los desafíos de las artes en general, es conectar con universos significativos por motivos diferentes, pero con los que hay posibilidades de cruce que resultan enriquecedores para todas las personas, sobre todo para los más jóvenes. Es por eso, que esta oportunidad de vincular el espectáculo “El Rey que quería ser músico”, con sus personajes, música e instrumentos medievales, con el mundo del cielo y las estrellas, es maravilloso. Chile es un país que se identifica con lo cielos y es un orgullo haber logrado, como organización y a través de nuestros equipos, esta colaboración que transformará por dentro al Teatro Municipal de Santiago”.

Acerca de

El Telescopio Magallanes Gigante es el futuro de la exploración espacial. Usando siete de los espejos más grandes del mundo, el telescopio de 25.4-metros producirá las imágenes con más detalles del Universo jamás tomadas. Descubrirá los misterios cósmicos de la materia oscura, investigará el origen de los elementos químicos, y verificará señales de vida en planetas distantes por primera vez en la historia. El Telescopio Magallanes Gigante es un proyecto de la Corporación GMTO, un consorcio internacional de prestigiosas universidades e instituciones científicas de cinco países. El telescopio está en construcción en el Observatorio Las Campanas en Chile y espera estar completado a fines de la década de 2020s. El Universo Espera en giantmagellan.org.

Contacto de Prensa Oscar Contreras-Villarroel Vicepresidente y Representante Legal, Chile ocontreras@gmto.org +56 9 9150 4292

The post Planetario en el Teatro Municipal de Santiago appeared first on Giant Magellan Telescope.

Categories: GMT News

Planetario en el Teatro Municipal de Santiago

Sat, 01/07/2023 - 11:09

Acercando la astronomía a través de la vida y obra del Rey sabio Alfonso X

Ciencia y arte se unen para asombrar al público infantil y adulto en estas vacaciones de verano, gracias a la colaboración entre Telescopio Magallanes Gigante (GMT) y el Teatro Municipal de Santiago.

Los días 8, 14 y 15 de enero se instalará el Planetario Itinerante en el Foyer Principal del Teatro Municipal de Santiago, en el marco de las funciones de la obra familiar “El Rey que quería ser músico”, oportunidad en la que los asistentes podrán vivir una experiencia inmersiva única, aprender sobre astronomía y los secretos del universo a través de un “Viaje al centro de la vía láctea”, presenciando constelaciones y agujeros negros.

El rey que quería ser músico es una obra de teatro musical producida por el Pequeño Municipal y cuya dirección de escena, guion y actuación está a cargo de Alonso Torres, coordinador de este programa que acerca a niñas y niños a las artes que se cultivan en el Municipal de Santiago de manera didáctica y entretenida. La obra trata sobre la vida y obra de Alfonso X, el rey que contribuyó a la cultura y patrimonio mundial, dejando un gran legado astronómico.

“Esta es una oportunidad inédita que nos tiene muy contentos, fomentando la cultura y educación científica de forma lúdica y diferenciadora, acercando la astronomía y el trabajo de los observatorios como GMT directamente al público, que podrá enriquecerse a través de la gran puesta en escena que significa el teatro y el planetario en un mismo lugar” afirma Oscar Contreras, representante y vicepresidente de Telescopio Magallanes Gigante.

Por su parte, Carmen Gloria Larenas, directora general del Teatro Municipal de Santiago señala que “uno de los desafíos de las artes en general, es conectar con universos significativos por motivos diferentes, pero con los que hay posibilidades de cruce que resultan enriquecedores para todas las personas, sobre todo para los más jóvenes. Es por eso, que esta oportunidad de vincular el espectáculo “El Rey que quería ser músico”, con sus personajes, música e instrumentos medievales, con el mundo del cielo y las estrellas, es maravilloso. Chile es un país que se identifica con lo cielos y es un orgullo haber logrado, como organización y a través de nuestros equipos, esta colaboración que transformará por dentro al Teatro Municipal de Santiago”.

Acerca de

El Telescopio Magallanes Gigante es el futuro de la exploración espacial. Usando siete de los espejos más grandes del mundo, el telescopio de 25.4-metros producirá las imágenes con más detalles del Universo jamás tomadas. Descubrirá los misterios cósmicos de la materia oscura, investigará el origen de los elementos químicos, y verificará señales de vida en planetas distantes por primera vez en la historia. El Telescopio Magallanes Gigante es un proyecto de la Corporación GMTO, un consorcio internacional de prestigiosas universidades e instituciones científicas de cinco países. El telescopio está en construcción en el Observatorio Las Campanas en Chile y espera estar completado a fines de la década de 2020s. El Universo Espera en giantmagellan.org.

Contacto de Prensa Oscar Contreras-Villarroel Vicepresidente y Representante Legal, Chile ocontreras@gmto.org +56 9 9150 4292

The post Planetario en el Teatro Municipal de Santiago appeared first on Giant Magellan Telescope.

Categories: GMT News

The Year in Photos 2022

Mon, 12/12/2022 - 18:00

The year 2022 opened with progress for the Giant Magellan Telescope. Construction continued in Chile at Las Campanas Observatory, and key technologies were prototyped and tested. The year concluded with the completion of the third primary mirror segment.

This is our story of 2022 told visually.

January Credit: Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science

Production of the telescope’s first adaptive secondary mirror began. This “blank” of highly specialized glass called Zerodur is shaved down to a mere 2mm in thickness so that it can reshape up to 2,000 times per second. This is the first of seven adaptive secondary mirrors that will hang above the giant primary mirrors’ light path, collecting and correcting distorted light before sending a concentrated beam to the telescope’s scientific instruments.

February Credit: Giant Magellan Telescope – GMTO Corporation

Renowned engineering and architecture firm IDOM was awarded a contract to finalize the telescope enclosure design by 2024. The award followed extensive enclosure designer evaluation and a selection process based on a detailed set of criteria.

March Credit: Oscar Contreras, Giant Magellan Telescope – GMTO Corporation

In partnership with the audiovisual design studio, Delight Lab, we celebrated Chile’s annual astronomy week with an art and science initiative aimed to bring astronomy and science to public spaces. With the support of the Cultural Corporation of the Municipality of Vitacura, nearly 100 viewers were captivated by a video mapping projected against the front of a seven-story building at Santiago’s Parque Bicentenario.

April Credit: Ryan Kallabis, Giant Magellan Telescope – GMTO Corporation

Giant Magellan President Robert N. Shelton met with Flavio Salazar, Chile’s former Minister of Science, Technology, Knowledge, and Innovation, in Santiago, Chile, to discuss the telescope and Chile’s premier astronomical infrastructure.

May Credit: Damien Jemison, Giant Magellan Telescope – GMTO Corporation

Seven “cells” will hold the telescope’s giant 18-ton primary mirrors. Each cell is compact and lightweight, allowing for the telescope to be extremely stiff and stable in resisting image quality interruptions. A full-scale prototype cell has been built to demonstrate the performance. Device Control Software Engineer Tomas Krasuski is shown adjusting one of support actuators on the prototype cell.

June Credit: Damien Jemison, Giant Magellan Telescope — GMTO Corporation

Following two years of virtual gathering, the Giant Magellan Telescope participated in both Astrofest 2022 and the 240th meeting of the American Astronomical Society as part of US Extremely Large Telescope Program. The meeting included a wide range of workshops, splinter sessions, town halls, and exhibition offerings. In 2023, we will be at the 241st meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Seattle, Washington, join us!

July Credit: Francisco Figueroa, Giant Magellan Telescope — GMTO Corporation

Las Campanas Observatory was swept by a rare winter storm, with 40 inches of snowfall — more than we’ve seen in over 20 years. The site operations team exercised a recovery plan to clear the road and maintain construction at the Giant Magellan Telescope site.

August Credit: Giant Magellan Telescope — GMTO Corporation

The Giant Magellan Telescope secured a $205 million investment from its international consortium to accelerate construction. The investment is being used to manufacture the telescope structure at Ingersoll Machine Tools in Illinois, continue progress on the telescope’s seven primary mirrors at the University of Arizona’s Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab, and build a scientific spectrograph instrument in Texas.

September Credit: Proven Productions

The telescope mount provides the supporting framework for the world’s largest mirrors, adaptive optics, scientific instruments, and control systems. A 22-meter diameter faux pier was constructed at Ingersoll Machine Tools newly expanded manufacturing, assembly, and testing center in Rockford, Illinois, to house the steel superstructure during fabrication.

October Credit: Damien Jemison, Giant Magellan Telescope – GMTO Corporation

October marked two years of progress on prototyping and testing since receiving a $17.5 million subaward grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation. We are validating key aspects of telescope phasing and adaptive optics in the construction of two laboratory bench testbeds. The adaptive optics will counteract distortions caused by turbulence in the Earth’s atmosphere and funnel the corrected light to the telescope’s scientific instruments.

November Credit: Nikon Corporation

The telescope’s Large Earth Finder visible light Echelle spectrograph, being developed by the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, will one day measure the masses of Earth-like planets outside of our solar system and search for signs of life. Following many prototypes, the red camera lens bezel and its lens were completed for the science instrument.

December Credit: Giant Magellan Telescope – GMTO Corporation

Primary mirror segment three of seven was completed following two years of polishing. The final optical surface precision is more than 25 nanometers — so smooth that the highest peaks and valleys are smaller than one thousandth of the width of a human hair. In 2023, the mirror will be placed in a test cell prototype to validate the mirror support hardware design.

The Universe Awaits for 2023!

To see more from the Giant Magellan Telescope, check out The Year in Photos 2021 and The Year in Photos 2020.

The post The Year in Photos 2022 appeared first on Giant Magellan Telescope.

Categories: GMT News

Pages