Mitteilung
Erste Segmente des ELT-Hauptspiegels treffen in Chile ein
16. Januar 2024
Nach einer 10 000 km langen Reise um die Welt sind die ersten Spiegelsegmente des Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) der ESO sicher in ihrem nächsten Zuhause, der ELT Technical Facility am Paranal-Observatorium der ESO in der chilenischen Atacama-Wüste, angekommen. Insgesamt 18 Segmente des Hauptspiegels des Teleskops (M1) haben die Reise von Europa nach Südamerika erfolgreich hinter sich gebracht und sind letzte Woche im internationalen Hafen von Antofagasta in Chile angekommen.
Nach seiner Fertigstellung wird der M1 des ELT einen Durchmesser von über 39 Metern haben und damit das größte Auge der Welt in den Himmel sein. Bei solchen Dimensionen kann der Spiegel nicht in einem Stück gegossen werden. Deshalb wird der M1 aus 798 sechseckigen Segmenten zusammengesetzt sein. Weitere 133 werden produziert, um die Wiederbeschichtung der Segmente zu erleichtern.
Die bemerkenswerte Reise begann in der Nähe von Poitiers, Frankreich, wo die ELT-Segmente fertiggestellt wurden. Sie reisten dann auf dem Landweg zum Hafen von Le Havre. Am 17. Dezember 2023 machten sich diese wichtigen ELT-Komponenten auf den Weg über den Ozean. Sie erreichten den Hafen von Antofagasta und setzten ihre lange Reise auf dem Landweg fort, bis sie am 12. Januar 2024 das Paranal-Observatorium der ESO erreichten. Dort führten die ESO-Ingenieure umfassende Inspektionen durch, um sicherzustellen, dass sie während des Transports keinen Schaden genommen hatten.
Nachdem die Segmente am Paranal-Observatorium angekommen sind, besteht die nächste Phase des komplizierten Prozesses in der Beschichtung der Spiegelsegmente in der ELT Technical Facility, um ihnen ihre hochreflektierende Oberfläche zu verleihen. Dieser Prozess wird für jedes Segment alle 18 Monate wiederholt werden, sobald das ELT seine Beobachtungen aufnimmt. Dieses monumentale Teleskop wird, sobald es im Laufe dieses Jahrzehnts in Betrieb geht, die größten astronomischen Herausforderungen unserer Zeit bewältigen und verspricht bahnbrechende Entdeckungen, die früher unvorstellbar waren.
Kontaktinformationen
Bárbara Ferreira
ESO Media Manager
Garching bei München
Tel: +49 89 3200 6670
Email: press@eso.org
Über die Mitteilung
ID: | ann24001 |
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