Menu
Home
People
Places
Arts
History
Plants & Animals
Science
Life & Culture
Technology
Reference.org
Giant Magellan Telescope
open-in-new
<p>The Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) is a ground-based, <a href="/facts/Extremely_large_telescope/PCAY1z8l">extremely large telescope</a> currently under construction at <a href="/facts/Las_Campanas_Observatory/6F9vgR2t">Las Campanas Observatory</a> in Chile's <a href="/facts/Atacama_Desert/RmLNNvvg">Atacama Desert</a>. With a primary mirror diameter of 25.4 meters, it is expected to be the largest <a href="/facts/Gregorian_telescope/Sp8cI5jH">Gregorian telescope</a> ever built, observing in optical and mid-infrared wavelengths (320–25,000 nm). Commissioning of the telescope is anticipated in the early 2030s. </p><p>The GMT will feature seven of the world's largest mirrors, collectively providing a light-collecting area of 368 square meters. It is expected to have a resolving power approximately 10 times greater than the <a href="/facts/Hubble_Space_Telescope/NQeIf0vw">Hubble Space Telescope</a> and four times greater than the <a href="/facts/James_Webb_Space_Telescope/w4GAWnWX">James Webb Space Telescope</a>. However, it will not be able to observe in the same infrared frequencies as space-based telescopes. The GMT will be used to explore a wide range of astrophysical phenomena, including the <a href="/facts/Search_for_extraterrestrial_intelligence/dh8h2HNn">search for signs of life</a> on <a href="/facts/Exoplanet/zjfmqfUf">exoplanets</a> and the study of the cosmic origins of chemical elements. </p><p>The casting of the GMT's primary mirrors began in 2005, and construction at the site started in 2015. By 2023, all seven primary mirrors had been cast, the first of seven adaptive secondary mirrors was under construction, and the telescope mount was in the manufacturing stage. Other subsystems of the telescope were in the final stages of design. </p><p>The project, with an estimated cost of USD $2 billion, is being developed by the GMTO Corporation, a consortium of research institutions from seven countries: Australia, Brazil, Chile, Israel, South Korea, Taiwan, and the United States. </p>