Sep 16 2010
A research team of the Instituto Nacional de Astrofisica, Optica, y Electronica (INAOE), located in Mexico, and the University of Massachusetts has developed a telescope that will unveil the mysteries pertaining to the galaxies’ birth and death. The world’s largest telescope will be placed on top of an extinct Mexican volcano, and study galaxies up to a distance of 14,000 light years.
The Large Millimetre Telescope resembles a huge white satellite dish, and it has been developed at a cost of $115 million. It functions in millimetre waves, enabling capture of radiation from planetary formations, molecular clouds, the coldest areas of the universe, or space. The telescope was constructed for 12 years and was tested in 2008.
The researchers of the project stated that the large millimeter telescope will aid in the developments of various fields ranging from medicine to telecommunications, in the future. The telescope, after obtaining the first data, will monitor more distant galaxies.
INAOE’s Director, Jose Guichard stated that the institute invested three quarters of the amount for the project, whereas the University of Massachusetts invested one quarter. Raul Mujica, a researcher noted that the telescope will explore the theories related to the origin to life. Miguel Chavez, another researcher added that the light millimeter telescope will also help in studying the planets’ atmospheres.
Source: http://www.inaoep.mx/