THE EUROPEAN EXTREMELY LARGE TELESCOPE ("E-ELT") PROJECT

The European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT) project aims to provide European astronomers with the largest optical-infrared telescope in the World.

With a diameter of 42 m and being fully adaptive from the start, the E-ELT will be more than one hundred times more sensitive than the present-day largest optical telescopes. The E-ELT will vastly advance astrophysical knowledge by enabling detailed studies of planets around other stars, the first galaxies in the Universe, super-massive black holes, and the nature of the Universe's dark sector (more).

The E-ELT project is included in the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) list of opportunities. It has also been ranked in the 2010-2025 ASTRONET European strategic planning as one of two clear top priorities for future ground-based astronomical infrastructures. The project is currently in its detailed design phase, supplemented by a FP7 preparatory program under a grant from the European Commission. Decision to build is expected by late 2010, with a start of operation in 2018.

E-ELT design

The E-ELT project will maintain Europe's position at the forefront of astrophysical research.


News

  • [7 Sept 2009] Astronomy with Megastructures: science with ELTs and SKA, 10-14 May 2010, Crete
  • [5 Sept 2009] First announcement for the JWST and the ELTs workshop, 13-16 April 2010, Garching
  • [25 June 2009] National Geographic article about giant telescopes. The EELT was also mentioned.
  • [5 Mar 2009] One day workshop "Wide field imaging at the E-ELT" took place on May 29 at the ESO headquarters in Garching. Presentations are online.
  • [12 Dec 2008] The E-ELT Design Reference Mission and Design Reference Science Plan workshop took place on 26-28 May 2009 at the ESO headquarters in Garching. Presentations can be viewed here.
  • [27 Nov 2008] ESO makes available all contributions of ESO authors that were presented at the SPIE conference in Marseille, June 2008 (link). Many of the papers located therein describe the E-ELT and its instrumentation.
  • [27 Nov 2008] If you consider yourself to be part of the future E-ELT user community, we would like to ask you to submit one or more science cases to the Design Reference Science Plan. Deadline: 30 June 2009
  • [20 Nov 2008] "ALMA and ELTs: A Deeper, Finer View of the Universe", Garching, Germany, 24-27 March 2009. Presentations are online.
  • [20 Nov 2008] "Towards Other Earths: perspectives and limitations in the ELT era", Porto, Portugal, 19-23 October 2009. Abstract submission deadline is July 17, 2009.
  • [10 Nov 2008] In September 2008 a symposium "Science with the E-ELT" was held in Vienna, Austria at the JENAM 2008 meeting. Presentations can be viewed here.
  • [10 July 2008] The E-ELT Design Reference Mission workshop took place on 20-21 May 2008 at the ESO headquarters in Garching. Presentations can be viewed here.