Really Big Telescopes

Upcoming Projects

The future of telescopes is promising with groundbreaking projects like the European Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) and the conceptual Overwhelmingly Large Telescope (OWL). Gary Arndt explains that the ELT, under construction in Chile, will feature a 39.3-meter primary mirror, significantly larger than current telescopes, and aims to discover Earth-like planets 1. The OWL, still in planning, envisions a 100-meter mirror, presenting engineering challenges but remaining feasible.

All of the biggest telescopes, both present and future, are all found in only a few places on earth.

--- Gary Arndt

These telescopes are strategically located in areas like the Atacama Desert and Mauna Kea to maximize viewing days, avoiding cloud cover that hampers observations 1.

   

Space-Based Prospects

Space-based telescopes offer unique advantages over their ground-based counterparts, overcoming atmospheric limitations and enabling longer exposures. Gary Arndt highlights the Hubble Space Telescope's success, despite its smaller 2.4-meter mirror, due to its position in space, allowing for high-resolution images 1. The upcoming James Webb Telescope will further advance space-based astronomy with a 6.5-meter mirror and a location at a Lagrange point, enhancing its observational capabilities.

The Webb will have a far larger light collecting area.

--- Gary Arndt

This telescope will feature a large sun shield and innovative design, promising significant discoveries in the coming years 1.