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The CD6-UPC will participate in the construction of the largest telescope in the world

The UPC CD6 will take part in the construction of the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), which will be the largest telescope in the world. The construction of the ELT approved by the European Southern Observatory (ESO) in 2012 is expected to start operating in 2027. The telescope will be located on Cerro Armazones in the Atacama Desert of Chile, more than 3000m high.

The primary mirror of the telescope will have a diameter of 39m and will consist of 798 hexagonal segments that must be perfectly positioned to reproduce the hyperbolic shape of the primary mirror. The alignment accuracy of these mirrors is 2nm across the entire surface (10,000 times thinner than human hair). Each day, two of these segments will be removed for cleaning and refurbishing, with the goal of ensuring maximum telescope efficiency.

There are two systems responsible for ensuring that the segments are correctly placed: An optical interferometer called the Local Coherencer and a network of more than 4000 sensors located in the actuators that move each segment. The Local Coherencer has been awarded by ESO to IDOM. The solution proposed by IDOM and CD6 and approved by ESO, is based on a variant of which CD6 already developed for the Gran Telescopio de Canarias. IDOM and CD6 will collaborate in the design, construction and validation of the Local Coherencer, a critical instrument for the proper functioning of the ELT.

On behalf of the UPC, the project will be led by Professor Santiago Royo.

https://www.upc.edu/en/press-room/news/upc-cd6-participates-in-the-construction-of-the-worlds-largest-telescope

Image credits: ESO