Like many concepts in our world, the word "telescope" came to us from the ancient Greek language, and literally means "I look far." And indeed, these optical instruments are designed to monitor distant objects in the distant expanses of Cosmos.
The first simple telescopes appeared at the beginning of the XVII century, and today these complex optical devices are divided into four main types. Consider the largest of them, and find out what is the largest telescope in the world that can penetrate into the very abyss of the universe.
Large Synoptic Survey Telescope
A large-scale US-funded project is being implemented in Chile, at the very peak of Mount Sero Pachon. A reflex, optical telescope with a diameter of 8.4 meters will take pictures of the night sky every three nights.
Presumably, it will begin full-fledged work in 2022, although scientists plan to begin the first tests in early 2020. The uniqueness of the design is that instead of two mirrors, three are installed on the LSST, which greatly increases its capabilities.
Scientists assign huge reliability to a unique project, believing that it will help to solve many secrets stored in distant Cosmos.
South African Large Telescope
The name itself indicates but that the telescope is located in South Africa. It is built at an altitude of 1798 meters above sea level and is used by the South African Astronomical Observatory.
This is the largest telescope located south of the equator of the Earth, and this optical giant observes astronomical objects that are inaccessible to observations from the northern hemisphere.
SALT has a mirror with a size of 11 × 9.8 meters, and the optical apparatus made its first pictures in 2005, and they astounded astronomers with a high resolution, where it was possible to clearly see individual details.
Keck I and Keck II
Two telescopes with equivalent capabilities and technical characteristics, with a mirror diameter of 10 meters, work at the Keck Observatory, which is located on a mountain peak in American Hawaii.
They were put into operation in 1994 and 1996, and most importantly they work in pairs, in the interferometer mode. Due to this, angular resolutions of high accuracy are obtained, which made it possible to discover and explore exoplanets.
It is believed that the Keka observatory is located in the most favorable astroclimate for observing celestial objects, therefore it is one of the most effective observatories on the globe.
Gran telescopio canarias
The reflector telescope, which has been in operation since 2009, has the largest mirror today, with a diameter of 10.4 meters. The opening of a unique observatory on the island of La Palma was attended even by a Spanish monarch.
The observatory is located on the volcano Muchachos at an altitude of almost 2400 meters above sea level. The location and technical characteristics of the GTC allow you to observe the most distant objects of the Cosmos.
Most of the financing of the project, which is 130 million euros, was undertaken by Spain, also in the share of Mexico and the American University of Florida.
Arecibo observatory
In Puerto Rico, at a relatively low altitude of 497 meters, there is a reflector and a radio telescope with a mirror diameter of 304.8 meters. Officially, it began its work in 1963, and since the beginning of the 90s, it has been used in the search for extraterrestrial civilizations.
The unique telescope shape of the Arecibo Observatory makes it one of the most recognizable in the world. In addition, he appeared several times in Hollywood blockbusters.
Despite his venerable age, with his help, numerous discoveries were made, which made it possible to more fully understand the nature of the universe and the interaction of space objects.
Atacama Large Millimeter Array
This is a whole complex of unique radio telescopes, located among the impressive, almost space, landscapes of the Atacama Desert in Chile.
The astronomical complex consists of 66 powerful telescopes with mirror diameters of 7 and 12 meters. Among its relatives, the Chilean device for observing the Cosmos is the most expensive.
The main purpose of ALMA is the observation and investigation of processes that took place in the first millions of years after the Big Bang. It is with the help of these data that scientists hope to completely restore the evolutionary processes in the Universe.
Giant magellan telescope
This large telescope began to be designed in 2012, and plans to place it at the Las Campanas Observatory, at an altitude of 2,500 meters above sea level.
A set of mirrors form a total diameter of 25 meters and will allow you to get fairly clear pictures of the most distant objects from the Earth. One of the tasks of GTM will include the observation of unique objects of space, as well as dark matter and the study of the evolution of the first galaxies.
Builders and scientists plan to launch the project in 2020, when the first four mirrors are ready and installed.
Fast
In Guizhou province in southern China, the largest filled aperture radio telescope with a diameter of 500 meters was commissioned in 2016.
Such a device will help to solve many scientific problems, observe black holes, and explore the early periods of the evolution of the Universe. A number of design features will expand the review, and 9 radios receive and transmit information.
A good project turned out to be quite expensive, and cost China $ 185 million. But astronomers say that scientific discoveries will be invaluable to all of humanity.
Very Large Telescope
This is not one, but an eight-telescope astronomical complex in the Atacama Desert. By the total area of mirrors, the Chilean apparatus is the largest in the world.
This European project began work in 1998, and the instruments were created specifically for the Paranal Observatory. Thanks to new technologies, VLT can operate in three modes, and the technical characteristics allow you to get clear and detailed images of space objects.
It is interesting that in the local dialect of the inhabitants of Chile, one of the first telescopes was named in honor of the Sun God - Antu, and the other three, in honor of the Moon, Venus and the Southern Cross constellation - Kuyen, Yupun and Melipal.
European Extremely Large Telescope
On the top of the Chilean mountain Cerro Armazones (3060 m.), They plan to place in 2024 the most powerful telescope in the world, whose mirror diameter will be 39.3 meters.
The mirror, which will be assembled from 798 individual segments, will allow the device to collect 15 times more light than all currently operating devices of the world of this type. Modern technologies used in the implementation of the project will also allow you to detail images and see previously inaccessible areas of the cosmos.
In 2015, a ceremonial laying of stone took place, where the observatory will operate. To do this, they specifically blew up the top of the rock to level the site for construction.
Hubble Space Telescope
Under the code name "250", the automatic space observatory has been rotating in Earth orbit for 27 years. The optical device installed at the station, named after the astronomer Edwin Hubble, is by far the most powerful telescope in history.
A joint project of NASA and the European Space Laboratories began its work in 1990. Due to the fact that the atmosphere does not interfere with it, better images of the Cosmos are obtained than from Earth's devices.
Scientists have been planning to replace Hubble for many years, but due to difficulties in implementing a new project, in 2016 the program was extended for another 5 years.
BTA
We conclude our review with a Russian optical device, which today is the largest telescope in Russia, and in general in Europe. The abbreviation BTA stands for “Large azimuthal telescope”, and it is located in the North Caucasus in the Karachay-Cherkess Republic.
The mirror diameter of the Russian giant is 6.05 meters, and the total weight is 850 tons. We also note that BTA is the record holder for the size of the dome and the diameter of the whole mirror.
With the help of the device, many discoveries were made that made it possible to put together disparate hypotheses about the interaction and evolution of galaxies.
So we found out with the help of which instruments you can look at space objects with an “armed look” and solve the mysterious puzzles of distant galaxies.
Large telescopes have become real helpers of Humanity in the knowledge of the Universe, allowing you to look into the hidden corners of the Cosmos, where scientific thought is still not able to transfer a person.
To restore justice, that in the Earth’s orbit, besides the American one, the Russian Spectrum project is also working. A powerful space radio telescope, KTR, is installed at the modular station.
Article author: Valery Skiba