World’s largest telescope in Chilean Desert, Chile.
European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT) shall sport a primary mirror with a
diameter of 39 meters thus allowing it to collect light that is 15 times greater than the largest telescope can gather as of now.
(The project has been given a green light and is slated to be completed by 2024.)
.
Telescope Observatories
- careers in astronomy;Â Â astronomers study space in observatories
- to give the best view of the Night Sky, most are built on mountain tops far from city lights.
- mostly observatories – telescopes are housed in a domed building, which turns around so the telescopes can be aimed at the same stars, galaxies, or nebulas while the Earth rotates.
.
Facts about Telescopes Observatories
- oldest existing observatory; Â thought to be a prehistoric circle built about 7,000 Â years ago in Goseck, Germany. Â (more information)
- ancient time; Beijing Ancient Observatory in China  –  500 years old bronze astronomical instruments. (wikipedia / photo)
- first British observatory; Â the Royal Greenwich Observatory, London was founded in 1675. (website / photo)
- highest observatory on Earth; Â 4517 metres above sea level at Hanle, India in the Himalayas. (wikipedia /Â website / photo)
- lowest observatory;  1.7 metres below sea level in Homestake Mine, South Dakota, USA. It’s ‘telescope’ is actually tanks of heavy water that trap neutionos from the Sun. (wikipedia / photo)
- first photographs of the stars were taken in 1840 by an American amateur astronomer, Henry Draper.
- observatory photographs; Â today are made using CCDs which give off an electrical signal when struck by light from outer space. (photo: CCD camera)
.
Back to Astronomy page