Major NSF Grant Accelerates Development of the Giant Magellan Telescope
The GMT Science Case has evolved over the course of the project. It has been influenced by the 2010 Decadal Survey’s report “New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics” but has been updated to reflect new discoveries and scientific priorities. The 2018 version of the GMT Science Book is now available. The GMT Science Book focuses on those areas of frontier science best explored with a large aperture ground-based telescope. The book describes the transformative impact that the GMT will have on areas spanning observational astrophysics—from exoplanets around neighboring stars to the formation of the first, most distant stars, galaxies, and black holes in the universe. The first chapter also describes the GMT itself, explaining its unique design and capabilities, including the first-generation instrument suite that has been chosen to maximize the GMT’s scientific impact during early operations. This book is accessible to a wide audience.
Exoplanet Science Strategy – NASEM report 2018The GMT Science Requirements for the telescope and associated instruments and facilities flow from the scientific priorities listed in the GMT Science Book. These requirements are used to optimize the telescope design and development process, and to define the goals and requirements for the GMT first generation instruments.
This timelapse shows several stages of the mirror casting process for segment five, including creating the light-weighted mirror mold, loading nearly 20 tons of glass into the mold, and the furnace spinning during “high fire.” Credit: Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab, The University of Arizona and the Giant Magellan Telescope – GMTO Corporation. Find more details in the Science BookThe GMT Science Case has evolved over the course of the project. It has been influenced by the 2010 Decadal Survey’s report “New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics” but has been updated to reflect new discoveries and scientific priorities. The 2018 version of the GMT Science Book is now available. The GMT Science Book focuses on those areas of frontier science best explored with a large aperture ground-based telescope. The book describes the transformative impact that the GMT will have on areas spanning observational astrophysics—from exoplanets around neighboring stars to the formation of the first, most distant stars, galaxies, and black holes in the universe. The first chapter also describes the GMT itself, explaining its unique design and capabilities, including the first-generation instrument suite that has been chosen to maximize the GMT’s scientific impact during early operations. This book is accessible to a wide audience.
The Giant Magellan Telescope’s primary mirror segment five during reveal. Credit: Damien Jemison, Giant Magellan Telescope – GMTO Corporation. The Giant Magellan Telescope’s primary mirrors are fabricated with high-purity, low-expansion, borosilicate glass (called E6 glass) from the Ohara Corporation of Japan. Credit: Damien Jemison, Giant Magellan Telescope – GMTO Corporation. Media Contact Ryan Kallabis Director of Communications rkallabis@gmto.org (626) 204-0554 Multimedia Resources Download the resources • 1.2 GBMultimedia from the release and media usage statement are available from the GMTO Corporation here and from the University of Arizona here until March 20, 2021. Assets may not appear uncredited. Unless otherwise noted in media usage statement, credit line must be given as follows: Giant Magellan Telescope – GMTO Corporatio
In Memoriam – João E. Steiner
The team at GMTO Corporation is celebrating the life of astronomer João Evangelista Steiner, who died unexpectedly on September 10, 2020. As a professor at the Institute of Astronomy, Geophysics, and Atmospheric Sciences of the University of São Paulo, Dr. Steiner made remarkable contributions to the Brazilian and international astronomical communities.
GMTO President, Robert Shelton, first met Dr. Steiner at the dedication of the SOAR telescope, many years ago. In addition to his contributions scientifically, Shelton was impressed from this first meeting with his kindness toward others. He was an extraordinary individual.
Dr. Steiner joined the GMT project representing the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) in 2015. Upon joining, he said that “the GMT project will help ensure that Brazilian astronomers remain at the forefront of research for decades to come.”
His leadership, advocacy, and friendship at GMTO will be greatly missed.
In Memoriam – João E. Steiner
The GMT Science Case has evolved over the course of the project. It has been influenced by the 2010 Decadal Survey’s report “New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics” but has been updated to reflect new discoveries and scientific priorities. The 2018 version of the GMT Science Book is now available. The GMT Science Book focuses on those areas of frontier science best explored with a large aperture ground-based telescope. The book describes the transformative impact that the GMT will have on areas spanning observational astrophysics—from exoplanets around neighboring stars to the formation of the first, most distant stars, galaxies, and black holes in the universe. The first chapter also describes the GMT itself, explaining its unique design and capabilities, including the first-generation instrument suite that has been chosen to maximize the GMT’s scientific impact during early operations. This book is accessible to a wide audience.
Exoplanet Science Strategy – NASEM report 2018The GMT Science Requirements for the telescope and associated instruments and facilities flow from the scientific priorities listed in the GMT Science Book. These requirements are used to optimize the telescope design and development process, and to define the goals and requirements for the GMT first generation instruments.
This timelapse shows several stages of the mirror casting process for segment five, including creating the light-weighted mirror mold, loading nearly 20 tons of glass into the mold, and the furnace spinning during “high fire.” Credit: Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab, The University of Arizona and the Giant Magellan Telescope – GMTO Corporation. Find more details in the Science BookThe GMT Science Case has evolved over the course of the project. It has been influenced by the 2010 Decadal Survey’s report “New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics” but has been updated to reflect new discoveries and scientific priorities. The 2018 version of the GMT Science Book is now available. The GMT Science Book focuses on those areas of frontier science best explored with a large aperture ground-based telescope. The book describes the transformative impact that the GMT will have on areas spanning observational astrophysics—from exoplanets around neighboring stars to the formation of the first, most distant stars, galaxies, and black holes in the universe. The first chapter also describes the GMT itself, explaining its unique design and capabilities, including the first-generation instrument suite that has been chosen to maximize the GMT’s scientific impact during early operations. This book is accessible to a wide audience.
The Giant Magellan Telescope’s primary mirror segment five during reveal. Credit: Damien Jemison, Giant Magellan Telescope – GMTO Corporation. The Giant Magellan Telescope’s primary mirrors are fabricated with high-purity, low-expansion, borosilicate glass (called E6 glass) from the Ohara Corporation of Japan. Credit: Damien Jemison, Giant Magellan Telescope – GMTO Corporation. Media Contact Ryan Kallabis Director of Communications rkallabis@gmto.org (626) 204-0554 Multimedia Resources Download the resources • 1.2 GBMultimedia from the release and media usage statement are available from the GMTO Corporation here and from the University of Arizona here until March 20, 2021. Assets may not appear uncredited. Unless otherwise noted in media usage statement, credit line must be given as follows: Giant Magellan Telescope – GMTO Corporatio
A Significant Milestone
A significant milestone for GMTO’s primary mirror controls team recently took place at the Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab at the University of Arizona – the bringing together of the mirror simulator, the prototype mirror cell, and the test cell. Read more about the simulator, how it came together, and the planned tests here.
Carnegie Virtual Conversation with Rebecca Bernstein
GMTO Chief Scientist Rebecca Bernstein gave a 20-minute presentation touching on the history of astronomy and highlighting the capabilities and progress of the GMT.
–Visit Carnegie’s site to view the presentation.
Carnegie Virtual Conversation With Rebecca Bernstein
The GMT Science Case has evolved over the course of the project. It has been influenced by the 2010 Decadal Survey’s report “New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics” but has been updated to reflect new discoveries and scientific priorities. The 2018 version of the GMT Science Book is now available. The GMT Science Book focuses on those areas of frontier science best explored with a large aperture ground-based telescope. The book describes the transformative impact that the GMT will have on areas spanning observational astrophysics—from exoplanets around neighboring stars to the formation of the first, most distant stars, galaxies, and black holes in the universe. The first chapter also describes the GMT itself, explaining its unique design and capabilities, including the first-generation instrument suite that has been chosen to maximize the GMT’s scientific impact during early operations. This book is accessible to a wide audience.
Exoplanet Science Strategy – NASEM report 2018The GMT Science Requirements for the telescope and associated instruments and facilities flow from the scientific priorities listed in the GMT Science Book. These requirements are used to optimize the telescope design and development process, and to define the goals and requirements for the GMT first generation instruments.
This timelapse shows several stages of the mirror casting process for segment five, including creating the light-weighted mirror mold, loading nearly 20 tons of glass into the mold, and the furnace spinning during “high fire.” Credit: Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab, The University of Arizona and the Giant Magellan Telescope – GMTO Corporation. Find more details in the Science BookThe GMT Science Case has evolved over the course of the project. It has been influenced by the 2010 Decadal Survey’s report “New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics” but has been updated to reflect new discoveries and scientific priorities. The 2018 version of the GMT Science Book is now available. The GMT Science Book focuses on those areas of frontier science best explored with a large aperture ground-based telescope. The book describes the transformative impact that the GMT will have on areas spanning observational astrophysics—from exoplanets around neighboring stars to the formation of the first, most distant stars, galaxies, and black holes in the universe. The first chapter also describes the GMT itself, explaining its unique design and capabilities, including the first-generation instrument suite that has been chosen to maximize the GMT’s scientific impact during early operations. This book is accessible to a wide audience.
The Giant Magellan Telescope’s primary mirror segment five during reveal. Credit: Damien Jemison, Giant Magellan Telescope – GMTO Corporation. The Giant Magellan Telescope’s primary mirrors are fabricated with high-purity, low-expansion, borosilicate glass (called E6 glass) from the Ohara Corporation of Japan. Credit: Damien Jemison, Giant Magellan Telescope – GMTO Corporation. Media Contact Ryan Kallabis Director of Communications rkallabis@gmto.org (626) 204-0554 Multimedia Resources Download the resources • 1.2 GBMultimedia from the release and media usage statement are available from the GMTO Corporation here and from the University of Arizona here until March 20, 2021. Assets may not appear uncredited. Unless otherwise noted in media usage statement, credit line must be given as follows: Giant Magellan Telescope – GMTO Corporatio
Declaración conjunta sobre la presentación de las propuestas de “Planificación y diseño de un programa de telescopios extremadamente grandes de EE.UU.” a la Fundación Nacional de Ciencias
A fines de mayo de 2020, los socios del Programa de Telescopios Extremadamente Grandes de EE. UU. (US-ELTP) presentaron conjuntamente tres propuestas de Planificación y Diseño a la Fundación Nacional de Ciencias de Estados Unidos (NSF). Los socios de US-ELTP incluyen a: NOIRLab de NSF, administrado por la Asociación de Universidades para la Investigación en Astronomía, Inc. (AURA), la Corporación Telescopio Magallanes Gigante (GMTO) y el Observatorio Internacional del Telescopio de Treinta Metros (TIO).
La recomendación del Estudio Decenal de Astronomía y Astrofísica de las Academias Nacionales (Astro2020), que se espera para la primera mitad de 2021, y la preparación del Telescopio Magallanes Gigante y el Telescopio de Treinta Metros para iniciar al proceso de revisión de las grandes instalaciones de NSF, son pasos importantes que están por venir. No obstante, los socios ven la presentación de estas propuestas como un hito importante en la evaluación de todos los aspectos del programa.
El concepto subyacente de US-ELTP presentado a NSF como parte de esta propuesta sigue siendo coherente con la visión que los socios presentaron en el Panel de Observaciones Ópticas e Infrarrojas Terrestres de las Academias Nacionales Astro2020 en febrero de 2020. El plan para el US-ELTP sigue siendo ser un sistema complementario de telescopios extremadamente grandes en ambos hemisferios que proporcionarían a la comunidad científica de EE.UU. acceso al 100% del cielo nocturno para realizar la próxima generación de descubrimientos sobre nuestro universo. Chile es el sitio propuesto para el Telescopio Magallanes Gigante en el sur, y para el norte, Maunakea, Hawai’i, EE. UU., es el sitio principal propuesto para el Telescopio de Treinta Metros, siendo el sitio de La Palma, en Islas Canarias, España, la opción alternativa.
For this statement in English, please click here.
Para leer esta declaración en inglés, por favor ingrese aquí.
Joint Statement from the US ELT Program
At the end of May 2020, the partners of the US Extremely Large Telescope Program (US-ELTP) jointly submitted three Planning and Design proposals to the National Science Foundation (NSF). The US-ELTP partners include: NSF’s NOIRLab, managed by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. (AURA), the Giant Magellan Telescope Corporation (GMTO), and the Thirty Meter Telescope International Observatory (TIO).
The recommendation of the National Academies’ Decadal Survey of Astronomy and Astrophysics (Astro2020), which is currently expected in the first half of 2021, and the readiness of the Giant Magellan Telescope and the Thirty Meter Telescope to enter NSF’s major facilities review process would be important next steps. Nonetheless, the partners view the submission of these proposals as an important milestone in the evaluation of all aspects of the program.
The underlying US-ELTP concept presented to NSF as part of this proposal remains consistent with the vision the partners presented to the National Academies’ Astro2020’s Panel on Optical and Infrared Observations from the Ground in February 2020. The plan for the US-ELTP continues to be a two-hemisphere system of complementary ELT-class telescopes that would provide the US science community with access to 100% of the night sky to make the next generation of discoveries about our Universe. Chile is the proposed site for the Giant Magellan Telescope in the south, and for the north, Maunakea, Hawai’i, USA is the proposed primary site for the Thirty Meter Telescope, with La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain as the back-up site.
For this statement in Spanish, please click here.
Para leer esta declaración en español, por favor ingrese aquí.
The U.S. Extremely Large Telescope Program (US-ELTP)NSF’s National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory (NOIRLab) managed by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. (AURA)
Giant Magellan Telescope; GMTO Corporation (GMTO)
Thirty Meter Telescope International Observatory (TIO)
Media ContactsAURA: Shari Lifson, slifson@aura-astronomy.org, (202) 769-5232
GMTO: Dr. Cindy Hunt, cindy.hunt@gmto.org, (626) 204-0510
TIO: Dr. Gordon Squires, media@tmt.org, (808) 284-9922
Joint Statement From the US-ELT Program
The GMT Science Case has evolved over the course of the project. It has been influenced by the 2010 Decadal Survey’s report “New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics” but has been updated to reflect new discoveries and scientific priorities. The 2018 version of the GMT Science Book is now available. The GMT Science Book focuses on those areas of frontier science best explored with a large aperture ground-based telescope. The book describes the transformative impact that the GMT will have on areas spanning observational astrophysics—from exoplanets around neighboring stars to the formation of the first, most distant stars, galaxies, and black holes in the universe. The first chapter also describes the GMT itself, explaining its unique design and capabilities, including the first-generation instrument suite that has been chosen to maximize the GMT’s scientific impact during early operations. This book is accessible to a wide audience.
Exoplanet Science Strategy – NASEM report 2018The GMT Science Requirements for the telescope and associated instruments and facilities flow from the scientific priorities listed in the GMT Science Book. These requirements are used to optimize the telescope design and development process, and to define the goals and requirements for the GMT first generation instruments.
This timelapse shows several stages of the mirror casting process for segment five, including creating the light-weighted mirror mold, loading nearly 20 tons of glass into the mold, and the furnace spinning during “high fire.” Credit: Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab, The University of Arizona and the Giant Magellan Telescope – GMTO Corporation. Find more details in the Science BookThe GMT Science Case has evolved over the course of the project. It has been influenced by the 2010 Decadal Survey’s report “New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics” but has been updated to reflect new discoveries and scientific priorities. The 2018 version of the GMT Science Book is now available. The GMT Science Book focuses on those areas of frontier science best explored with a large aperture ground-based telescope. The book describes the transformative impact that the GMT will have on areas spanning observational astrophysics—from exoplanets around neighboring stars to the formation of the first, most distant stars, galaxies, and black holes in the universe. The first chapter also describes the GMT itself, explaining its unique design and capabilities, including the first-generation instrument suite that has been chosen to maximize the GMT’s scientific impact during early operations. This book is accessible to a wide audience.
The Giant Magellan Telescope’s primary mirror segment five during reveal. Credit: Damien Jemison, Giant Magellan Telescope – GMTO Corporation. The Giant Magellan Telescope’s primary mirrors are fabricated with high-purity, low-expansion, borosilicate glass (called E6 glass) from the Ohara Corporation of Japan. Credit: Damien Jemison, Giant Magellan Telescope – GMTO Corporation. Media Contact Ryan Kallabis Director of Communications rkallabis@gmto.org (626) 204-0554 Multimedia Resources Download the resources • 1.2 GBMultimedia from the release and media usage statement are available from the GMTO Corporation here and from the University of Arizona here until March 20, 2021. Assets may not appear uncredited. Unless otherwise noted in media usage statement, credit line must be given as follows: Giant Magellan Telescope – GMTO Corporatio
New Stars Found in the Milky Way Were Born Outside of It
The post New Stars Found in the Milky Way Were Born Outside of It appeared first on Giant Magellan Telescope.
July 2020
- Welcome
- Mirror Simulator Installed
- Welcome New Board Director
- Unusual Winter Snowfall at the GMT Site
- Once in a Decade Presentation
- US-ELT Program at the American Astronomical Society Meeting
Dear Friends,
During these uncertain times of COVID-19, GMTO closed our offices in Pasadena and Santiago in mid-March, but that action has not slowed our work. Our team continues to make progress while working from home via videoconferences. At the telescope site, we completed an important upgrade to the water facilities, then shut down all activities, keeping a skeleton crew for security, safety, and maintenance. In the US, like many businesses we are rolling out our protocols for reopening the offices. At GMTO, we are also stressing flexibility for our employees to continue to make progress in building the telescope.
This newsletter covers a wide range of exciting activities from the first half of this year. Work on the mirror simulator, fabricated at CAID Industries and installed on the test cell at the Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab, has been moving forward with our partners. Early this year, GMTO welcomed our newest member of the Board of Directors, Dr. Sung Hyun Park of Korea who is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Statistics at Seoul National University. At the beginning of the year, GMTO attended the 235th American Astronomical Society meeting in Hawaii, and we also presented to the Astro2020 Panel on Optical and Infrared Observatories from the Ground in Washington, DC. I am excited to share these updates and more with you.
Dr. Robert Shelton – President, GMTO
Mirror Simulator InstalledA significant milestone for GMTO’s primary mirror controls team recently took place at the Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab at the University of Arizona – the bringing together of the mirror simulator, the prototype mirror cell, and the test cell. The mirror simulator is currently resting on top of the static supports attaching it to the test cell top plate. For this procedure, the mirror simulator was gently lowered into the prototype mirror cell until the static supports flex imperceptibly and are fully supporting the simulator representing a crucial dress rehearsal for the process of integrating a glass mirror.
The mirror simulator is a round piece of steel, weighing approximately 14,000kg – somewhat lighter than a glass GMT mirror. The underneath of the simulator looks like a bed of nails – it has a vast array of “interface features” that attach to the mechanisms that support and control the mirrors – the single and triple actuators, the hardpoints, and the static supports. The simulator’s purpose is not to mimic a primary mirror exactly, but to validate the mirror support system, both in hardware and software.
Mirror simulator move from CAID Industries in Tucson to the Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab at the University of Arizona, February 2020. Image credit: Zaven Kechichian.
The prototype mirror cell weldment (the steel part of the mirror cell) measures 8.6 m long, 10 m wide by 1.8 m tall, and weighs about 22,700 kg. Its role is to hold all the different support mechanisms that the mirror requires to keep its shape. The weldment was designed by engineers at GMTO and was manufactured at CAID Industries in Arizona. The weldment plus support system comprises the Mirror Cell.
The support system for each off-axis mirror consists of 170 pneumatic actuators and 326 static supports and a few less for the center segment. The actuators are designed to lift and shape the mirrors, and their most important component is a “load cell” which measures how much force the actuator is applying to the mirror – too little and the mirror won’t move, too much and excess stress could be placed on the mirror. To make sure the load cells are making accurate measurements, they need to be calibrated, which GMTO’s software team has been working on. The team has created an Actuator Calibration Stand (ACS) that can calibrate a single actuator in less than an hour. A second ACS that can mimic the sideways force on actuators when the telescope is tilted has also been developed. These ACS’s will be delivered to the Mirror Lab.
The mechanical parts of the actuators are being assembled at Texas A&M University and are being delivered to the Mirror Lab, where the electronics are being integrated. The actuators are then calibrated by the ACS. Even with one calibration taking less than an hour, with 170 to do for each of the seven mirrors, this part of the process will take months!
In parallel, the Software team has been working on the software control system for the actuators. This software needs to be able to send commands and read back the results to all 170 actuators of a mirror in 10 milliseconds. The software they are creating will be the “production” software used on the actual telescope. The team can achieve this because they can test it on a very close analog to the final system and thus save years of software simulations.
At the Mirror Lab, GMTO and UA engineers spent time earlier this year installing static supports onto its top plate in preparation for receiving the mirror simulator. Static supports are designed to hold the mirror when it’s at rest and to catch it during an earthquake.
Static supports prior to the simulator integration, June 2020. Image credit: Steven West/Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab at the University of Arizona
Closeup of the static supports, June 2020. Image credit: Steven West/Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab at the University of Arizona
The GMTO team and UA team have become highly integrated over the past few months as work on this project continues. By the time the testing of the control system with the simulator is complete, and the team is ready to integrate a real glass mirror, the project will have gained a great deal of knowledge about how we can phase and control the primary mirrors.
Lowering the simulator onto the test cell, June 2020. Image credit: Steven West/Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab at the University of Arizona
Mirror simulator installed, June 2020. Image credit: Steven West/Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab at the University of Arizona
Welcome New Board DirectorDr. Syung Hyun Park
GMTO welcomes our newest member of the Board of Directors, Dr. Sung Hyun Park of Korea. Dr. Park is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Statistics at Seoul National University and the President of the Social Responsibility and Management Quality Institute. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, Republic of Korea, and he holds a certification as an Academician by the International Academy for Quality (IAQ). Dr. Park currently serves on the Korean Foundation for Quality Board of Directors.
Dr. Park has had a distinguished career. Last year, he received the 2019 Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. He previously served as the President and Board member of the Korean Academy of Science and Technology, as well as the Dean of the College of Natural Sciences and the Office of Student Affairs at Seoul National University. He was the President of the Korean Society for Quality Management as well as the President of the Korean Statistical Society. He was the Director of the Directorate of Basic Research in Science and Engineering, National Research Foundation of Korea. Additionally, he was a member of the Presidential Advisory Council on Science and Technology for the Korean Government. He received the Order of Service Merit Red Stripes Medal as well as the Order of Science & Technology Merit Innovation Medal from the President of the Korean Government.
When asked what sparked his interest in joining the GMTO Board of Directors, Dr. Park shared, “I am proud of the fact that the KASI (Korean Astronomy and Space Science Institute) is participating in the GMT Project. As a past president of the Korean Academy of Science and Technology, I would like to strongly support the GMT Project.”
Dr. Park shared the scientific discoveries he’s most looking forward to with the GMT stating, “when the GMT is in operations in the future, I will be most excited to have some knowledge ‘toward understanding how planets formed and how human beings came to earth in the beginning’.”
To learn more about GMTO’s Board of Directors, please visit GMTO’s website.
Unusual Winter Snowfall at the GMT SiteGMT Site, June 2020
GMT Summit Office, June 2020
The Giant Magellan Telescope is being constructed in one of the highest and driest regions on earth, Chile’s Atacama Desert. While the GMT will have spectacular conditions for more than 300 nights a year, the rare winter storm does happen like it did a few weeks ago. Las Campanas Peak (“Cerro Las Campanas”), where the GMT will be located, has an altitude of over 2,550 meters or approximately 8,500 feet. The combination of seeing, number of clear nights, altitude, weather, and vegetation make Las Campanas Peak an ideal location for the GMT.
Site construction is paused as a safety precaution during the COVID-19 pandemic, and we look forward to when our staff is able to safely return to work at the site. Amidst this pause, the GMT site welcomed the first day of winter with an unusual amount of snowfall for this generally dry and arid location.
Once in a Decade PresentationAstro2020 Panel, February 2020. Image credit: James Fanson
In late February, several GMTO staff traveled to Washington, DC, for a meeting with the Astro2020 Panel on Optical and Infrared Observatories from the Ground. Every ten years, the astronomy community evaluates and prioritizes the cutting-edge science topics and the missions in space and on the ground to make recommendations to the US federal funding agencies. This decadal process is led by the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine. The process starts with a call for white papers from the community on scientific topics of the highest priority for the coming decade and the technical programs needed to support them (computing, space programs, ground-based programs) and the state of the profession overall. Individual panels evaluate the science and projects on the horizon for the coming decade, and the steering committee compiles and issues a final report, expected early 2021.
The US ELT Program was selected to present an overview of the scientific and technical case for the joint project at the National Academies’ Keck Center near the Penn Quarter of the city for an entire afternoon session. The team presented information about the GMT and the US ELT Program alongside representatives from NOIRLab and the Thirty Meter Telescope Project. The GMT and TMT Project Managers gave comprehensive updates while the GMTO Chief Scientist and TMT SAC Chair described the technical and scientific capabilities that the two-hemisphere program will enable. The NOIRLab presented on their work to provide both observing and data access to the US Community. The panel asked questions about instrumentation, funding strategies, operational models, as well as other topics.
The presentations to the Astro2020 panel were the culmination of months of intensive effort, as well as 18 months of targeted interaction with the community to develop program support. The GMTO team responded in writing to multiple Requests for Information from the panel prior to this meeting and answered detailed questions related to the science, technology, and programmatic issues surrounding the individual telescopes (GMT and TMT) and the entirety of the US ELT Program. It is a testament to the profile and importance of the US ELT Program that observers joined the presentations in person from the National Science Foundation, the Kavli Foundation, and the New York Times, and a broad audience connected online.
US-ELT Program at the American Astronomical Society MeetingAt the beginning of the year, GMTO attended the 235th American Astronomical Society meeting in Honolulu, HI, as part of the US ELT Program, a partnership with NOIRLab and the Thirty Meter Telescope Project. The US ELT Program hosted a social open house, a scientific meeting, and a shared booth in the exhibit hall.
The open house encouraged the community to ask questions of the US ELT Program leadership and find out more about the program. There were briefings on the technical and scientific synergies that will be achieved by the combined power of the GMT and TMT. Dr. Patrick McCarthy, Director of NOIRLab, Dr. Rebecca Bernstein, GMTO Chief Scientist, and Dr. Jessica Lu, faculty at the University of California, Berkeley, presented at this session.
The scientific meeting started with project status updates from Dr. James Fanson, GMTO Project Manager, and Dr. Mike Bolte, TMT Board Member. Following this, members of the astronomical community gave brief scientific presentations. Dr. Nikole Lewis of Cornell University talked about extrasolar planetary systems, Dr. Jonelle Walsh of Texas A&M University discussed the dynamical searches for black holes with ELTs, and Dr. Francis-Yan Cyr-Racine of the University of New Mexico outlined the cosmological applications of gravitational lensing.
The events were well attended by the community, and we enjoyed the great questions about the US ELT Program and the two telescopes. For more information about the US ELT Program, please visit the NOIRLab website.
235th AAS Meeting Exhibit Booth, January 2020
235th AAS Meeting Presentation, January 2020
235th AAS Meeting Exhibit Booth, January 2020
SPIE: On Shaky Ground
“We believed we could resolve our seismic challenges without an extreme measure of seismic isolation,” said GMT project designer Dave Ashby. “It’s actually a pretty compact design. However, once we actually started to explore the risk exposure in a quantitative way, we rapidly came to the conclusion that that wasn’t practical.”
SPIE: Casting Giants
“The GMT will consist of six off-axis 8.4-meter mirrors that surround a central on-axis mirror to form a single optical surface 24.5 meters in diameter with a total collecting area of 368 square meters. In fact, the GMT mirrors will collect more light than any telescope ever built, with a resolving power 10 times greater than the Hubble Space Telescope.”
Meet GMTO: Bob Turner
Bob Turner is GMTO’s Deputy Site Enclosure and Facilities Manager. He has a B.S. in Economics and has been with GMTO since 2016.
What sparked your interest in working with GMTO?I was given the opportunity to work as a consultant for GMTO and one of the selling points was the wow factor attached to this project. I have been involved in major engineering projects throughout my career, but never a project that combines the scientific sophistication and engineering precision that this project requires. I get excited every day with the thought that I am contributing to the success of this project.
Describe what you saw when you looked through your first telescope.I saw an opportunity to touch the moon. I grew up in the age of the Apollo space missions. As a child, watching man land on the moon for the first time, truly was other worldly. Through the telescope, the moon seemed so far away, yet so close.
Within your field, what area fascinates you most and why?I still get excited watching projects get built. The physical construction of a project is the tangible evidence of hard work by great teams.
What has been your most surprising moment within your career?When I was offered my first supervisory position at Boeing at the age of 28. I thought the Director I was talking to was joking, but he saw something in me that led him to take a chance.
What was your initial impression of GMTO and why did you get involved?My first impression was that this is an incredible project with incredibly intelligent people. I knew I could contribute to GMT’s success with my organizational skills and common sense. It was exciting to imagine being a part of this project.
When I was considering joining GMTO as an employee, the Site, Enclosure and Facilities manager asked me, “where else can you work where the reason for the project is to bring more knowledge to mankind?” That’s a pretty great way to think about why we do what we do.
Share a non-science related talent/skill/interest/hobby that you have.I like to garden. Springtime is great, the vegetables have all been planted and they are starting to sprout.
What advice would you give to young kids exploring STEM fields as careers?Do what you love. Work for people and organizations that you respect.
Hubble Space Telescope’s 30th Anniversary
In celebrating the Hubble Space Telescope’s 30th year in orbit, GMT Project Manager, Dr. James Fanson, and GMT Project Scientist, Dr. Rebecca Bernstein, share their thoughts on Hubble and its impact on astronomy.
How do Hubble images and discoveries help make astronomy accessible to the public?
The combined sensitivity and resolution of the Hubble Space Telescope made the Hubble Ultra Deep Field image the “deepest” image ever taken. It was possible to identify and see the structure of more distant galaxies than had ever been seen. This led to the realization that galaxies in fact formed much faster than we had previously thought, which led to a whole host of new questions about how dark matter (and dark energy) impacted the evolution of the universe and the structures in it. – Dr. Rebecca Bernstein
This view of nearly 10,000 galaxies is called the Hubble Ultra Deep Field. The image required 800 exposures taken over the course of 400 Hubble orbits around Earth. The total amount of exposure time was 11.3 days, taken between Sept. 24, 2003 and Jan. 16, 2004. Image Credit: NASA, ESA, S. Beckwith (STScI) and the HUDF Team
The Hubble Space Telescope revolutionized astronomy in the same way Galileo’s telescope did 400 years ago when first turned to the heavens. Hubble’s images reached the level of art, and its discoveries touched the imagination of ordinary people around the world. Hubble became the “people’s telescope” and it will always have a cherished place in our history and culture. – Dr. James Fanson
GMT Project Manager, Dr. James Fanson, reflected on his time working on the Wide Field And Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2), designed and built at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.
Dr. James Fanson holding a model of an active mirror assembly, three of which were installed in the WFPC2 to Aline corrective optics with Hubble. Image captured at the time of the Hubble repair. Image Credit: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
What engineering challenges did you face in working on the camera that saved Hubble? Were any insights learned valuable for GMT?
There were three main challenges we faced in fixing Hubble: 1) how do you determine the cause of the problem when Hubble is orbiting 300 miles above your head?; 2) how do you engineer a technical fix that will actually correct the problem and not make it worse?; and 3) how can you implement the fix in a new instrument and have it ready to launch in less than three years?
NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope in high orbit 600 kilometres above Earth. Image Credit: European Space Agency
To fix Hubble, we reached for new technology that had never before flown in space, and tossed out the rule book in order to have it ready to launch in time. One lesson from Hubble is that cross checks are crucial to detect and correct human error. At GMT, we use three independent methods to verify that our mirrors are polished to the correct shape. – Dr. James Fanson
Meet GMTO: Bob Goodrich
Bob Goodrich is GMT’s Observatory Scientist. He has a Ph.D. in Astronomy and Astrophysics from the University of California, Santa Cruz. He’s been with GMTO since March 2015.
What sparked your interest in science?
I have always been fascinated by those greater things out in the Universe; planets, stars, galaxies… What discoveries can we make without being able to go out and touch the stars?
Describe what you saw when you looked through your first telescope.I first looked at the Moon through a cheap, department-store 40 mm refractor that my siblings and I had bought with our allowances.
How old were you when you decided that you wanted to pursue a career in a STEM field?I was interested in astronomy at a very early age. My mother has something I wrote when I was about 7 years old, where I said I want to become a doctor and have astronomy as a hobby. (At that age I didn’t realize that you could get a doctorate in astronomy!) My interest really piqued when my family moved to rural Australia, where they turned off the town’s streetlights at 11 p.m. to save electricity.
Both within your field and outside of it, who do you respect/look up to and why?I aspire to Mike Bolte’s calmness. Jerry Nelson was an inspirational figure, and from earlier in my career, Robert Leighton had brilliant ideas and was also a wonderful mentor. Richard Feynman had a unique, creative way of looking at questions in physics.
Within your field, what area fascinates you most and why?I am fascinated by the cores of galaxies, where giant black holes lurk, sometimes in the dark, barely revealing themselves, and sometimes in a glorious display of brightness and energy, as a quasar.
Another exciting field is how much we can tell about a planet that we see moving across the face of its parent star. In principle, we can tell the composition of its atmosphere, whether it has clouds, whether there are moons orbiting it, and more.
What has been your most rewarding success/accomplishment to-date?One morning, after I had gone to sleep after a night of observing at the McDonald Observatory in West Texas, I had a dream about a polarizing element that we had been designing. The challenge was that it had to work over a wide range of wavelengths. In the dream I realized that I could take an existing design and modify the geometry to produce what we needed. “It’s all just geometry,” I remember thinking. I woke up from the dream and told myself, this is important. I started drifting back to sleep, and then shot bolt upright, thinking, “this is REALLY important! I need to write this down before I forget.” This optic became the core of polarimetry instruments at McDonald, Keck, and Palomar observatories.
Another truly rewarding success was running science operations at Keck Observatory. I had a great team, and the teamwork at the Observatory in general was fantastic. Working with a wide range of scientists and science programs was more fulfilling to me than working on my own narrow research field. I hope to help reproduce this camaraderie and environment for GMT operations, and to streamline the challenging jobs of the future operations staff so they can enjoy the ride like I have.
What has been your most surprising moment within your career?When I discovered that the Duck Nebula, V645 Cygni, had lost its beak! In 1988, I published a paper on this young star and the gas cloud surrounding it. I showed images in which it looked like a duck seen in profile, with a narrow, straight beak. When I looked at it with the Keck telescope a couple of decades later, that beak had disappeared! I showed that it was a beam of light sneaking out past the dust around the star. Apparently that dust rearranged itself in the intervening years to block that beam of light.
A second surprising moment came when I first realized I had made a discovery that very few people in the world knew about. Suddenly I realized that I was a world-class expert on something!
What was your initial impression of GMTO and why did you get involved?The lure of helping to develop one of the next-generation telescopes was too strong to resist. GMTO was started by a visionary team of scientists and designers. When I was hired, many experts from around the world were being assembled to carry on the project, including people I knew and respected from earlier in my life. I knew that switching from operations to a design and build project would help me grow, and that the discoveries that the telescope would eventually make would make me proud and satisfied that I could participate in even a small way.
Share a non-science related talent/skill/interest/hobby that you have.I used to be an avid volleyball player. I also played basketball in college and subsequently.
What advice would you give to young kids exploring STEM fields as careers?Enjoy the thrill of discovery. At first you can enjoy it through learning about the discoveries of others, like Einstein, Feynman and Edison. Before you know it, you will be making your own discoveries. Keep up your math and computer skills, as these will serve you well in your career. And look for opportunities to get involved in STEM programs and projects early.
Astronomy at Home
Astronomy is the perfect activity to do from home – both indoors and outdoors. Read below for some ideas from GMTO’s partner institutions, and others, to keep you and your family informed and entertained.
Backyard Stargazing
Star Trails over McDonald Observatory. Image credit: John Stephen Chandler.
Enjoy the great outdoors from home by taking your stargazing skills into the backyard. The McDonald Observatory of GMTO partner institution, the University of Texas at Austin, offers weekly stargazing tips. You can also find some great pointers from NASA Science, offering skywatching tips with a daily guide on what to look for. Look out for the brilliant “evening star,” Venus, in the western sky this month.
If you want to spot the International Space Station going overhead, check out this resource from NASA.
Tune In
Get to know the cosmos by tuning in to the Planetary Society’s weekly podcast, Planetary Radio, with Mat Kaplan, showcasing space science and exploration. Check out their 2018 Astronomy Day episode featuring GMT! You can also learn more about GMT in featured episodes on other podcasts including Space Junk, the BBC, syzygy, and Deep Astronomy.
Virtual Learning
Image courtesy: Carnegie Institution
Last week, GMTO partner institution Arizona State University launched ASU For You, a learning resource center offering digital education assets for both learners and educators. Explore ASU’s Infiniscope website or, if you are an educator, join the community for free access to earth and space exploration lessons using simulations and virtual field trips to help educators engage learners with interactive coursework and videos.
Created by the Smithsonian Center for Learning and Digital Access, the Smithsonian Learning Lab offers digital learning materials sourced from across the Smithsonian’s 19 museums, 9 major research centers, and even the National Zoo! For educators and learners alike, the Learning Lab allows you to explore your interests and create your own personalized collections. Our favorite topical collection to browse is the Astronomy Learning Resources.
GMTO partner institution, Carnegie Institution for Science, offers its series of virtual events featuring monthly lectures. Check out last month’s event, Astronomy in 2020: The Great Debates Today, hosted by Carnegie Director, John Mulchaey, as he unpacks the latest and greatest questions astronomers are asking about the mysteries of the universe!
Activities Reimagined Online
Panoramic view of the James S. McDonnell Space Hangar at the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, September 6, 2013. Space Shuttle Discovery (OV-103) (A20120325000) can be seen in the center. Image Credit: Smithsonian
One of our favorite museums to virtually visit is the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, which maintains the world’s largest collection of aviation and space artifacts.
The Royal Museums Greenwich (home of the famous Greenwich Observatory in London, UK) offers a selection of online stories and guides in their digital collections. Our favorite theme to explore is Space and Stargazing, featuring a variety of space and discovery stories including their 2020 guide on how and when to watch a meteor shower and how to get started in astrophotography.
Enero 2020 – Español
- Saludo y Revisión del año en GMTO
- El Telescopio Magallanes Gigante firma el contrato para la estructura del telescopio
- 7ma Conferencia Científica Anual de la Comunidad GMT
- Patrick McCarthy asume como nuevo Director del Laboratorio OIR de la NSF
- Conferencia de la Sociedad Astronómica Americana
- El Laboratorio Móvil de Astronomía ya está recorriendo Chile
¡El equipo del Telescopio Magallanes Gigante les desea un excelente 2020!
Para GMTO, el 2019 fue un año muy productivo.
A comienzos del año, se completó la excavación de los cimientos para el enorme pilar y la cúpula del telescopio. El trabajo demoró sólo seis meses durante los cuales se hicieron 469 cargas de tierra y rocas en camiones que fueron transportadas desde la cumbre al centro de acopio en el sitio. El resto del año, se trabajó en la mejora de los sistemas de distribución de agua y electricidad, el cual ya está casi terminado.
En mayo, se llevó a cabo una profunda evaluación externa del proyecto, tanto de sus planes técnicos y financieros, como de sus cronogramas. Los resultados de la evaluación fueron muy positivos, lo que llevó al Comité de Evaluación a concluir que el plan fijado es realista y que el equipo actual es capaz de llevar al GMT a un buen término.
El Laboratorio de Espejos de Richard F. Caris ha logrado un excelente avance con los espejos del GMT. En julio se terminó el espejo #2, el que fue enviado desde el Laboratorio de Espejos al lugar de almacenamiento, cerca del Aeropuerto de Tucson, donde ya se encuentra el espejo #1, finalizado el año 2017. Actualmente, el espejo #3 se encuentra en el proceso de pulido de su superficie frontal y el espejo #5 en el proceso de pulido de su superficie trasera. Esperamos que los trabajos en la superficie frontal del espejo #4 (el espejo central) comiencen una vez que el espejo #3 esté terminado, dado que la torre de testeo necesitará ser reconfigurada para ajustarse al eje del este espejo.
Finalmente, como podrán leer más adelante, el proyecto GMTO anunció la firma del contrato para la estructura del telescopio (también llamada “montura”). Después de una búsqueda de dos años, MT Mechatronics e Ingersoll Machine Tools fueron seleccionadas para completar el diseño y luego la fabricación de la montura, respectivamente, para finalmente el año 2025 enviarla al sitio de GMT en Chile.
Esperamos compartir nuestros progresos durante el 2020 y ver a varios de ustedes en la Conferencia de la AAS en enero.
– Dr. James Fanson, Gerente de Proyecto de GMTO
El Telescopio Magallanes Gigante firma el contrato para la estructura del telescopio
Perfil de la estructura del telescopio GMT y sus cimientos. El cilindro gris en la base es el pilar del telescopio, con sus cimientos de concreto. El aro más amplio de color naranja, representa el piso de observación en la cúpula. La estructura gris semi circular justo encima se llama el Aro-C. Las estructuras celestes son las celdas que sostendrán los espejos primarios y sus mecanismos de soporte. Finalmente, la punta del armazón sostiene el conjunto del espejo secundario. Más imágenes aquí.
A fines de Octubre, GMTO anunció la firma un contrato con la compañía alemana MT Mechatronics (MTM) y la compañía de Illinois Ingersoll Machine Tools (IMT), para diseñar, construir e instalar la estructura del telescopio de GMT. La estructura pesará 1.800 toneladas y sostendrá los siete espejos gigantes del GMT, los instrumentos científicos y los espejos secundarios, haciendo que su peso total alcance las 2.100 toneladas. Esta masa completa “flotará” en un rodamiento hidrostático formado por una capa de aceite de solo 50 micrones de grosor, diseñados con la más alta precisión.
La estructura del telescopio será diseñada por MT Mechatronics y manufacturada, construida y testeada por Ingersoll antes de ser enviada e instalada en el sitio del GMT, ubicado en la Cordillera de los Andes en Chile.
MT Mechatronics tiene más de 50 años de experiencia con telescopios, comenzando con el Radiotelescopio Parkes en Australia. Fue el diseñador de la montura para el Telescopio Solar Daniel K. Inouye (DKIST) en Hawai.
Desde su creación en 1891, Ingersoll Machine Tools Inc. ha sido un nombre reconocido en el área de máquinas fresadoras y tiene décadas de experiencia en la fabricación de precisas estructuras de acero, incluyendo la reciente asociación con MT Mechatronics en la construcción de la montura del telescopio DKIST.
El valor total del contrato de la estructura del telescopio es de 135 millones de dólares y su ejecución tomará nueve años de exhaustivo trabajo por parte de ingenieros, diseñadores, obreros metalúrgicos y mecánicos. Se espera que la estructura llegue a Chile a fines de 2025 y que esté lista para los acomodar los espejos en 2028.
A principios de noviembre, los equipos de MTM y IMT visitaron GMTO en Pasadena para la puesta en marcha del contrato. En esta primera reunión se tomaron decisiones de diseño para minimizar el riesgo sísmico y las interfaces entre la estructura del telescopio y la cúpula.
Ingenieros y Gerentes de MT Mechatronics, Ingersoll Machine Tools y GMTO.
7ma Conferencia Científica Anual de la Comunidad GMT
Asistentes a la 7ma Conferencia Científica Anual de la Comunidad GMT.
El 19 y 21 de septiembre, GMTO llevó a cabo su 7ma Conferencia Científica Anual de la Comunidad sobre el tema “The Cosmic Baryon Cycle” en Carlsbad, California. El “baryon cycle” trata de los ciclos continuos de gas hacia el interior de las galaxias por la fuerza de gravedad, y que es expulsado nuevamente debido a explosiones de supernovas, los jets desde objetos en acreción, entre otros efectos. Este ciclo ocurre en todas las etapas evolutivas de las galaxia a través de la historia del universo, gobierna el ritmo en que las galaxias pueden formar estrellas e influyen en la forma que adopta.
Recibimos más de 100 asistentes de todo el mundo y en diferentes etapas de sus carreras. Muchas de las charlas en la conferencia mencionaron la necesidad de contar con mayor resolución para la observación espacial y espectral de galaxias con distintos desplazamientos al rojo, lo que posible con los instrumentos del GMT. Durante la sesión de preguntas y respuestas, conducida por Rebecca Bernstein, Gerente Científica del Proyecto GMT, se expresó mucho interés en el Programa del Telescopio Extremadamente Grande de Estados Unidos.
Esperamos con entusiasmo recibir a la comunidad en la próxima conferencia en septiembre 2020, en Sedona, Arizona, para abordar el tema de los agujeros negros de todas las escalas.
Patrick McCarthy asume como nuevo Director del Laboratorio OIR de la NSF
Dr. Patrick McCarthy
El 1 de Octubre, el Vice Presidente del Telescopio Magallanes Gigante, Patrick McCarthy asumió el importante papel de Director en el Laboratorio Nacional para la Investigación en Astronomía Óptica-Infrarroja de NSF (Laboratorio OIR de NSF), recientemente fundado.
El Dr. McCarthy ha sido parte del proyecto GMT desde sus inicios, 15 años atrás, y ayudó a llevarlo desde un dibujo en una servilleta a una organización de más de 100 personas, con doce instituciones estadounidenses e internacionales. El 2008, tras 20 años en su cargo en Carnegie, el Dr. McCarthy oficialmente expandió su rol aceptando una posición de liderazgo en GMT.
En el año 2014, trabajando en ese entonces con la directora Wendy Freedman y otros integrantes de los Observatorios Carnegie, así como también con otras organizaciones asociadas de GMT, el Dr. McCarthy ayudó a lograr un análisis de diseño preliminar del telescopio, creando la base para que en el año 2015, el Consejo de GMT aportara más de 500 millones de dólares en financiamiento por parte de los colaboradores del proyecto para su construcción inicial. Su convicción para convencer a los demás de la necesidad científica de construir un telescopio óptico-infrarrojo de última generación para la comunidad astronómica ha sido clave para el éxito del proyecto hasta la fecha.
Desde el Laboratorio OIR de NSF, el Dr. McCarthy continúa promoviendo inversiones federales en el GMT y el Telescopio de Treinta Metros como parte del Programa de Telescopios Extremadamente Grandes de Estados Unidos. Asimismo se encuentra trabajando en el Decadal Survey para apoyar su evaluación del programa del ELT de EE.UU. como parte de su proceso para fijar prioridades para las inversiones federales en astronomía para la próxima década.
GMTO y los Observatorios Carnegie ofrecieron una despedida a Pat a comienzos de noviembre de 2019.
Conferencia de la Sociedad Astronómica Americana
El Proyecto del Telescopio Magallanes Gigante está presente en la 235ta Conferencia de la Sociedad Astronómica Americana en Honolulu, Hawai, como parte del Programa del Telescopio Extremadamente Grande de los Estados Unidos (US-ELTP). El US-ELTP es una asociación entre GMT, el Telescopio de Treinta Metros (TMT) y el Laboratorio Nacional de Investigación para la Astronomía Óptica- Infrarroja de NSF (NOIR).
El objetivo del US-ELTP es permitir el acceso a todos los científicos de los Estados Unidos a la próxima generación de telescopios ópticos-infrarrojos mediante la contribución de NSF. A través de US-ELTP, todos los astrónomos en los Estados Unidos tendrán acceso al 25% o más, del tiempo de observación en el GMT y el TMT, independientemente de sus afiliaciones institucionales. Un programa de ELT bi-hemisférico permitirá descubrimientos de vanguardia en astrofísica en la era de los telescopios gigantes, permitiendo ejecutar observaciones con más noches, mejor alcance del cielo, y el más amplio conjunto de instrumentos que otros observatorios no podrían proporcionar.
El US-ELTP tiene un estand en la sala de exhibiciones y es anfitrión de dos encuentros con la comunidad: primero una sesión de Puertas Abiertas que se realizó domingo 5 de enero, y luego una serie de presentaciones sobre el programa, observatorios y la ciencia el martes 7 de enero, a las 10:00am.
El Laboratorio Móvil de Astronomía ya está recorriendo Chile
Estudiantes visitan el Laboratorio Móvil de Astronomía en la 5ta Cumbre de la Red Chilena de Educación y Difusión de Astronomía en Temuco, Chile.
Estamos muy satisfechos con los primeros seis meses de operaciones en Chile del Laboratorio Móvil de Astronomía, un proyecto financiado por GMTO en colaboración con la Fundación EcoScience, la embajada de Estados Unidos en Chile y la Fundación Kavli.
Visitamos diez escuelas y una feria científica comunitaria en la Región Metropolitana, y una cumbre de educación de la astronomía en la Región de la Araucanía, la zona dónde será el eclipse solar total en el año 2020.
Más de 2.300 estudiantes, desde enseñanza básica hasta media, experimentaron la innovadora propuesta de educación de la ciencia desarrollada por la Fundación EcoScience para hacer más accesible la astronomía en los lugares más aislados del país. Además, cerca de 130 profesores tuvieron la oportunidad de participar en actividades indagatorias con sus estudiantes y adquirir nuevas estrategias de enseñanza de la ciencias en la sala de clases.
Durante la 5ta Cumbre de la Red Chilena de Educación y Difusión de Astronomía, el público de la Región de la Araucanía tuvo la oportunidad de visitar y participar en las actividades del laboratorio móvil de astronomía, como también disfrutar de un audiovisual en el planetario inflable donado por la embajada de Estados Unidos al Laboratorio Móvil de Astronomía. El audiovisual proyectado fue “Eclipse: un juego de luz y sombra”, una producción original del Planetario de Santiago, que fue cedida gratuitamente para la cumbre.
Ahora estamos trabajando en la ruta y actividades para el Eclipse Solar Total de diciembre de 2020 en La Araucanía y Los Lagos. Puedes seguir todas las novedades sobre nuestro programa para el eclipse en Facebook y Twitter.
Top Astronomy Stories of 2019
Evidence of the supermassive black hole in the center of Messier 87 and its shadow. Credit: Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration.
In April, the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) project announced they had taken the first-ever image of a black hole. The image, a glowing orange donut around a central black circle, showed the black hole at the center of the M87 galaxy, 55 million light-years from Earth. This black hole has a mass 6.5 billion times that of the Sun. The image opens a new window into the study of black holes.
The EHT is an international collaboration of eight radio telescopes around the world that work together to collect data. The EHT has been funded in part by the National Science Foundation. Several of GMTO’s partner institutions are involved in the EHT, including Harvard University, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, the University of Arizona and the University of Chicago.
Total Solar Eclipse in Chile
The diamond ring effect. Credit: GMTO Project Manager, James Fanson.
On July 2, eclipse chasers from around the world gathered in Chile and Argentina to experience a total solar eclipse. Fortuitously the path of the eclipse crossed an area of Chile containing many world-class optical observatories. GMTO’s construction site was only half a kilometer from the path of totality, and we partnered with the Carnegie Institution to bring guests for a party in the desert. Many of our guests had never seen a total solar eclipse before, making the experience very special. The next total solar eclipse will take place on December 14, 2020, and will be visible in the far south of Chile. GMTO will again be taking special guests to view the eclipse.
A new measurement suggests the universe is expanding faster than we thought
The red giant stars used in the measurement of the expansion rate of the universe (circled in yellow). More details here. Credit: NASA, ESA, W. Freedman (University of Chicago), ESO, and the Digitized Sky Survey.
In July, astronomers announced they had measured the expansion rate of the universe in an entirely new way, to try to resolve a discrepancy between two previous results.
The measurement was carried out using the Hubble Space Telescope by a team led by former GMTO Board Chair, and Professor of Astronomy at the University of Chicago, Prof. Wendy Freedman along with collaborators from the Carnegie Institution for Science. They measured the brightness of red giant stars in distant galaxies and compared them to the brightness of similar red giants in nearby galaxies. The difference in brightness gives an indication of distance, which can be combined with other measurements to reveal the expansion rate of the universe.
The new result sits between the previous results, leaving open the question as to whether astronomers need to revise their explanation for the birth and growth of the universe.
Interstellar visitor Comet 2I/Borisov
Comet 2l/Borisov with a background galaxy. The galaxy’s bright central core is smeared in the image because Hubble was tracking the comet. Borisov was approximately 326 million kilometers from Earth in this exposure. Credit: NASA, ESA, and D. Jewitt (UCLA)
In October, the first-ever interstellar comet was spotted in our solar system. In December it made its closest approach to the Sun where the Hubble Space Telescope took its photograph. The comet was first seen by Crimean amateur astronomer Gennady Borisov in August. Images from the Hubble Space Telescope show the nucleus of the comet is just half a kilometer across, and observations from numerous telescope show that it has a very similar chemical composition to comets that originate in our solar system, providing evidence that comets also form around other stars.
Nobel Prize in Physics
Artist’s impression of first exoplanet discovery 51 Pegasi b. Credit: ESO/M. Kornmesser/Nick Risinger (skysurvey.org)
This year’s Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to three scientists who collectively reshaped our understanding of the universe and our place within it. Half of the prize was awarded to physical cosmologist, James Peebles, for developing the theoretical framework that forms the basis of modern cosmology. The other half was awarded to Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz for the first discovery, in 1995, of a planet outside our solar system, named 51 Pegasi b. This discovery has paved the way for the more than 4,000 exoplanets discovered to date.
December 2019
- Welcome / GMTO’s Year in Review
- Giant Magellan Telescope signs contract for telescope structure
- 7th Annual GMT Community Science Meeting
- Patrick McCarthy appointed Director of NSF’s OIR Lab
- Upcoming American Astronomical Society meeting
- Mobile Astronomy Lab on the road in Chile
The Giant Magellan Telescope project has had a very productive year.
Early in the year, excavation of the foundations for the telescope’s massive pier and enclosure was completed. Work took just six months during which 469 dump truck loads of soil and rock were transported from the summit to a storage location on site. For the rest of the year, work occurred to upgrade the water and electrical systems, and this is now nearing completion.
In May, the Project completed a major external review of its technical and financial plans and schedule. The results of the review were very positive with the review committee expressing the opinion that the plan was realistic and that the current team can deliver GMT.
University of Arizona’s Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab made excellent progress with the GMT mirrors. Mirror #2 was completed and shipped from the Mirror Lab to storage near Tucson Airport in July, joining Mirror #1, which was completed in 2017. Mirror #3 is undergoing front-surface fine grinding and Mirror #5 is undergoing rear-surface fine grinding.
Finally, as you can read below, the Project announced the signing of the contract for the telescope structure (also called the “mount”). After a two-year search, MT Mechatronics and Ingersoll Machine Tools were selected to complete the design and then manufacture the mount, shipping it to the GMT site in Chile in 2025.
We look forward to sharing our progress with you in 2020 and I hope to see many of you at the American Astronomical Society meeting in January.
– Dr. James Fanson, Project Manager
Giant Magellan Telescope signs contract for telescope structureProfile of the GMT’s telescope structure and its foundations. The grey cylinder at the bottom is the telescope pier – the concrete foundations. The widest orange ring designates the observing floor of the enclosure. The grey semi-circular structure above this is known as the C-Ring. The light blue, hexagonal structures are the mirror cells that hold the primary mirrors and their support mechanisms. Finally, at the top of the main truss, the Top End supports the secondary mirror assembly. More images here.
In late October, GMTO announced the signing of a contract with German company MT Mechatronics (MTM) and Illinois-based Ingersoll Machine Tools (IMT), to design, build and install the GMT’s telescope structure. The structure alone will weigh 1,800 tons and will hold the GMT’s seven giant mirrors, the scientific instruments, and the secondary mirrors, bringing its total weight to 2,100 tons. This entire mass will float on a film of oil just 50 microns thick, being supported by a number of precisely machined hydrostatic bearings.
The telescope structure will be designed by MT Mechatronics and manufactured, assembled and tested by Ingersoll before being shipped to, and installed at, the GMT observatory site high in the remote Chilean Andes.
MT Mechatronics has over 50 years’ experience with telescopes, beginning with the Parkes Radio Telescope in Australia. It was the mount designer for the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST) in Hawaii.
Since its inception in 1891, Ingersoll Machine Tools Inc. has been an iconic name in the milling machines sector and it has many decades of experience with manufacturing precision steel structures, including recently partnering with MT Mechatronics on the construction of the DKIST telescope mount.
The total value of the telescope structure contract is $135 million and will require nine years of effort by a large workforce of engineers, designers, metal workers and machinists. The structure is expected to be delivered to Chile at the end of 2025 and be ready to accept mirrors in 2028.
The MTM and IMT teams visited GMTO in Pasadena in early November for the first meeting under the contract. This kick-off meeting covered topics such as the design decisions to mitigate seismic risk and the interfaces between the telescope structure and the enclosure.
Engineers and Managers from MT Mechatronics, Ingersoll Machine Tools and GMTO.
7th Annual GMT Community Science MeetingAttendees at the 7th Annual GMT Community Science Meeting.
GMTO held its 7th Annual Community Science Meeting on “The Cosmic Baryon Cycle” on September 19-21 in Carlsbad, California. The “baryon cycle” refers to the continuous cycling of gas into galaxies under the force of gravity and out again due to supernova explosions, jets from accreting objects, and other effects. This cycling occurs at all stages of galaxy evolution throughout the history of the universe, governs the rate at which galaxies can form stars, and influences everything about their appearance.
We welcomed over 100 attendees from around the world and all career stages. Many of the talks at the meeting referenced the need for high spatial and spectral resolution observations of galaxies at all redshifts that will be enabled by GMT instruments. Interest in the US Extremely Large Telescope Program was also clear during an extended Q&A session lead by GMT Project Scientist, Dr. Rebecca Bernstein.
We look forward to welcoming the community to the next meeting in September 2020 in Sedona, AZ, on the topic of black holes at all mass scales.
Patrick McCarthy appointed Director of NSF’s OIR LabDr. Patrick McCarthy
On October 1, the GMTO’s Vice President Patrick McCarthy transitioned to the prestigious role of Director at the newly formed National Science Foundation’s National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory (NSF’s OIR Lab).
Dr. McCarthy has been a member of the GMT project since its inception 15 years ago, helping to bring it from a sketch on a napkin to a 100+ person organization with twelve U.S. and international partners. In 2008, 20 years into his tenure at Carnegie, Dr. McCarthy officially expanded his role when he accepted his current leadership position at GMTO.
Working with then-Carnegie Observatories Director Wendy Freedman, others at Carnegie, and the other GMTO partner organizations, Dr. McCarthy helped marshal the telescope to a preliminary design review in 2014, paving the way for the GMTO Board to secure more than $500 million in initial construction funding from the project’s founding partners in 2015. His single-minded commitment to articulating the scientific need to build the next-generation optical-infrared telescope for the astronomical community has been key to the project’s success to date.
While at NSF’s OIR Lab, Dr. McCarthy continues to advocate for federal investment in the GMT and the Thirty Meter Telescope as part of the US Extremely Large Telescope Program. He is working with the Decadal Survey to support their evaluation of the US ELT Program as part of their process to set priorities for federal investment in astronomy for the coming decade.
GMTO and Carnegie Observatories’ farewell to Pat took place in early November.
Upcoming American Astronomical Society meetingThe Giant Magellan Telescope project will participate in the 235th American Astronomical Society Meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii in January as part of the US Extremely Large Telescope Program (US-ELTP). The US-ELTP is a partnership among GMT, the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT), and NSF’s National Optical-Infrared Astronomical Research Laboratory (NSF’s OIR Lab).
The aim of the US-ELTP is to provide all US scientists with access to the next generation of ground-based optical-infrared telescopes through NSF involvement. Through the US-ELTP, all astronomers in the US would have access to 25% or more of the observing time on both the GMT and the TMT, regardless of their institutional affiliations. This bi-hemispheric, ELT system will enable forefront astrophysical discovery in the global ELT era by enabling US astronomers to execute observations with more nights, greater sky coverage, and a broader suite of instruments than any single observatory could provide.
At the AAS, the US-ELTP will have a booth in the Exhibit Hall and will be holding two community meetings. For those attending the AAS, please join us in room 306AB on Sunday, January 5 at 7:30 pm for a social Open House, and again on Tuesday, January 7 at 10:00 am for presentations on the program, the observatories, and the science.
Mobile Astronomy Lab on the Road in ChileStudents visit the Mobile Astronomy Lab at the 5th Astronomy & Education Outreach Summit in Temuco, Chile.
The first six months of operations of the Chilean Mobile Astronomy Lab, a collaborative project funded by GMTO, EcoScience Foundation, the Embassy of the United States in Chile and the Kavli Foundation, have been a great success.
We visited ten schools and one community science fair in the metropolitan region of Santiago and one astronomy summit in the Araucanía Region – the area where the 2020 total solar eclipse will occur.
More than 2,300 students, from preschool to high school, have been able to experience the innovative science education approach developed by EcoScience Foundation to make astronomy more accessible to underserved communities. In addition, around 130 teachers have had the opportunity to engage in inquiry-based activities with their students and be trained in new strategies for science education in the classroom.
During the 5th Astronomy Education and Outreach Summit, the general public in the Araucanía Region had the opportunity to visit and participate in the Mobile Astronomy Lab’s activities, as well as enjoy a full dome show in the inflatable planetarium donated by the US Embassy. The show projected was “Eclipse, a game of light and shadow”, an original production of the Santiago Planetarium, loaned for free for the summit.
We are now working on the route and activities for the Total Solar Eclipse in December 2020 in the Araucanía and The Lakes Regions. Stay tuned via Facebook and Twitter for more news about our eclipse programming.