A world-class team of astronomers has begun the four-year process of fabricating and polishing its seventh and final primary mirror, bringing the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) closer to completion. When finished, GMT will be the world’s largest optical telescope, with a light-collecting surface nearly three times larger than any other telescope, allowing researchers to peer deeper into space and capture more detail than ever.
Scientists are eager to investigate a vast array of new mysteries with the telescope, including searching for signs of life on distant exoplanets. They will also use it to study star formation, the evolution of the Milky Way galaxy, and dark matter and energy.
To do these things, astronomers need to be able to see the faintest light in the universe; to do that, they require giant telescopes. But making a telescope big enough to tackle these grand scientific questions requires more than just a giant mirror; it takes a team of scientists and engineers to build the most sophisticated optical instruments to take advantage of its unprecedented capabilities.
That’s why Texas A&M University, in partnership with other institutions around the globe, is part of a global team working on one of the most advanced optical telescopes ever constructed, the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT), which will be located at the Las Campanas Observatory in Chile. When complete, GMT can capture images ten times sharper than those snapped by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope.
A vital aspect of the telescope’s design is that its seven primary mirrors work together to form a massive 80-foot telescope, making it one of the most efficient ELTs for collecting light and directing it to individual science instruments. Its unique optical configuration also allows it to detect infrared light from celestial bodies, which are more easily detected when reflected off their surfaces by the dust and gas that fills interstellar clouds and nebulae.
Moreover, GMT’s enormous size will allow it to detect very dim light across the electromagnetic spectrum. This is especially useful for studying exoplanets, as a planet’s atmosphere can cause gaps in the light that passes through it—which are revealed by spectroscopy techniques performed with GMT’s powerful science instruments.
For example, if an exoplanet has an atmosphere similar to Earth’s, it will cause blue light to scatter more than other light colors. Sophisticated spectrometers at GMT will be able to identify these absorption lines, helping to determine whether the planet might host life.
Once in operation, the telescope will be able to answer many of the most fundamental and pressing questions in astrophysics, including exploring the possibility of life on distant exoplanets, investigating the origins of chemical elements, understanding dark matter and dark energy, and uncovering the hidden secrets of the early universe. It will be the most powerful telescope of its kind when it begins operations in 2029.