Thirty Meter Telescope

E61751

The Thirty Meter Telescope is a planned next-generation ground-based optical and infrared observatory with a 30-meter primary mirror, designed to provide extremely high-resolution views of the universe from a mountaintop site.

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Statements (63)

Predicate Object
instanceOf extremely large telescope
ground-based observatory
infrared telescope
optical telescope
abbreviation TMT
alternativeSiteConsidered Canary Islands
La Palma
comparedWith European Extremely Large Telescope
surface form: Extremely Large Telescope

Giant Magellan Telescope
controversy construction opposed by some Native Hawaiian groups
legal and permitting challenges in Hawaii
designFeature alt-azimuth mount
enclosed dome
segmented mirror control system
fundingModel international partnership
governingOrganization TMT International Observatory LLC
hasApertureClass 30-meter class telescope
hasInstrument adaptive optics system (planned)
mid-infrared instrument (planned)
multi-object spectrograph (planned)
near-infrared imager and spectrograph (planned)
wide-field optical spectrograph (planned)
mirrorType segmented primary mirror
numberOfPrimaryMirrorSegments 492
partnerCountry Canada
China
India
Japan
United States of America
surface form: United States
partnerInstitution California Institute of Technology
Department of Science and Technology of India
National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences
NAOJ
surface form: National Astronomical Observatory of Japan

National Research Council Canada
University of California system
surface form: University of California
plannedLocation Hawaiʻi (island)
surface form: Hawaii

Mauna Kea
United States of America
surface form: United States
primaryMirrorDiameter 30 meters
98 feet
projectStatus planned
under development
scienceGoal cosmology research
high-angular-resolution imaging
high-sensitivity spectroscopy
solar system science
stellar astrophysics
study of black holes
study of exoplanets
study of galaxy formation and evolution
study of the early universe
scienceWavelengthRange mid-infrared
near-infrared
optical
scientificAimsInclude direct imaging of exoplanets
probing dark matter and dark energy
spectroscopy of faint distant galaxies
testing general relativity near black holes
siteElevation approximately 13,287 feet
approximately 4050 meters
usesTechnology active optics
adaptive optics
laser guide star system

Referenced by (2)

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Giant Magellan Telescope comparableProjects Thirty Meter Telescope
Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation hasFunded Thirty Meter Telescope