” We are incredibly honored to be ranked as a top concern in the decadal survey and are grateful for the many scientists who engaged in the process,” stated Robert Shelton, president of the GMT. “This endorsement strengthens the clinical momentum that our founding consortium of international universities and research organizations pioneered years back. After all, we developed the Giant Magellan Telescope to discover the unknown, and its the inconceivable discoveries that could alter humanity permanently.”
Artists principle of the completed Giant Magellan Telescope. Credit: GMTO Corporation
” This endorsement from the decadal study is incredible and verifies the years of effort our researchers have spent establishing GMT technologies,” says Charles Alcock, GMTO board member and director of the CfA.
The GMT was assessed in Astro2020 as a core partner of the US-ELTP. The goal of the program is for the NSFs NOIRLab to offer U.S.-based astronomers with full sky observing access to the GMT in the Southern Hemisphere and the Thirty Meter Telescope in the Northern Hemisphere. The US-ELTP was seen by Astro2020 as a visionary program that will make it possible for collaborative, inclusive, and transformational research study in nearly all locations of astrophysics– from comprehending the fundamental nature of the universe to the look for life on far-off exoplanets.
” We are proud to be part of the US Extremely Large Telescope Program and its vibrant vision to provide full-sky access to the huge neighborhood,” said Walter Massey, board chair of the Giant Magellan Telescope and previous director of the National Science Foundation. “A genuine congratulations to both the Thirty Meter Telescope and NOIRLab. This strong recommendation is the outcome of several years of effort. It is a great time to support and join our inspirational job and assistance protect access to these fantastic telescopes for decades to come.”
The Giant Magellan Telescope in the evening. Credit: GMTO Corportaion
The 24.5-meter aperture GMT is placed to put a federal financial investment to excellent use. Building is well underway on Las Campanas Peak at the southern edge of Chiles Atacama Desert, one of the best locations in the world to explore the paradises. The task has completed acid rock excavation for the foundation and support facilities, cast six of 7 main mirrors, begun fabricating its first adaptive secondary mirror, and has actually currently protected a subaward from the National Science Foundation to speed up the prototyping and testing of some of the most powerful optical and infrared innovations ever engineered.
Astro2020 highlights the GMTs 368-square-meter light gathering power, unequaled 25-arcminute field of vision, advanced adaptive optics system and high-resolution spectroscopic and diffraction-limited imaging capabilities. The report stresses that the “abilities can be offered on almost all of the important science questions laid out by this decadal survey, across all three of our crucial science styles.” These motivating clinical priorities consist of pathways to habitable worlds, new windows on the dynamic universe, and drivers of galaxy development. The recommendation likewise mentioned that the US-ELTP “supplies observational abilities unmatched in space or the ground and opens a huge discovery area for brand-new observations and discoveries not yet expected.”
” The GMT will bring us a wealth of understanding about deep space, studying whatever from exoplanets to the faintest galaxies to great voids,” says Daniel Eisenstein, GMTO board member and astronomer at the CfA. “This is indeed an incredible time for the field of astrophysics.”
The GMTs international consortium is deeply gratified by the huge worldwide assistance got from the scientific and philanthropic communities. The consortium would also like to recognize the ngVLA and CMB-S4 groups on their strong Astro2020 endorsements. Together, the recommendations will assist develop vibrant chances in astronomy and contribute to considerable science discoveries for the 2030s and beyond.
The GMT is the work of a worldwide consortium of leading universities and research institutions representing five countries.
Giant Magellan Telescope. Credit: GMTO Corporation
The U.S. Extremely Large Telescope Program, which consists of the Giant Magellan Telescope, was ranked mission critical by the 2020 Decadal Survey on Astronomy and Astrophysics.
The 2020 Decadal Survey for Astronomy and Astrophysics has actually recommended federal assistance for the last building and construction stages of the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) as part of the U.S. Extremely Large Telescope Program (US-ELTP). The Center for Astrophysics|Harvard & & Smithsonian (CfA) belongs to a worldwide consortium contributing crucial instrumentation technology and humanitarian support for the GMT.
The extremely anticipated report ranked the US-ELTP as the top frontier job for ground-based observatories and detailed that building a very big telescope “is absolutely important if the United States is to preserve a position as a leader in ground-based astronomy.”
The 2020 Decadal Survey for Astronomy and Astrophysics has suggested federal support for the final building stages of the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) as part of the U.S. Extremely Large Telescope Program (US-ELTP). We created the Giant Magellan Telescope to find the unknown, and its the unimaginable discoveries that could alter humankind forever.”
The objective of the program is for the NSFs NOIRLab to provide U.S.-based astronomers with complete sky observing access to the GMT in the Southern Hemisphere and the Thirty Meter Telescope in the Northern Hemisphere.” We are happy to be part of the US Extremely Large Telescope Program and its vibrant vision to provide full-sky access to the astronomical community,” said Walter Massey, board chair of the Giant Magellan Telescope and previous director of the National Science Foundation. It is an excellent time to support and join our inspirational job and assistance secure access to these incredible telescopes for decades to come.”
