Production of the first primary mirror segment for the Giant Magellan Telescope has reached another milestone: the front surface "generation" has been completed, and the "grinding and polishing phase" has begun.
Apr 29, 2008

The Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) Consortium officially announces the selection of Las Campanas, Chile, as the location of the Giant Magellan Telescope. This location was selected for its high altitude, dry climate, dark skies, and unsurpassed seeing quality, as well as its access to the southern skies.
Oct 4, 2007

Latest Photos from the July 28, 2007 "GMT1 Quarterly Review" at the University of Arizona’s Steward Observatory Mirror Lab show progress made preparing the front surfaces of two mirrors. The GMT1 primary segment is right-side up in preparation for front surface generation. The fold sphere mirror is already being ground in preparation for polishing.
Aug 1, 2007

Primary Mirror Mounting and Metrology progress was reported at the most recent GMT1 Quarterly Review, held on April 24, 2007, at the University of Arizona’s Steward Observatory Mirror Lab in Tucson, Arizona.
Apr 27, 2007

You are getting a first look at the newly cast 3.8 meter (over 12 feet) diameter "Fold Sphere" mirror. This mirror, which will be used for testing the accuracy of the 8.4 meter primary mirror segments, is itself larger than the Hubble Space Telescope's 2.4 m primary mirror.
Jan 1, 2007

The New Advanced Instrumentation and Technology Centre was unveiled yesterday at Mount Stromlo Observatory.
Oct 17, 2006

Work continues at the Steward Observatory Mirror Lab to produce the primary mirror for the Giant Magellan Telescope.
Jun 7, 2006

May 17, 2006

The Australian National University becomes a Partner in the GMT Consortium. April 18, 2006.
Apr 18, 2006

"The New Planet Machine - The Biggest Game in the Cosmos" by Thomas Levenson, on the cover of the February 2006 issue:
Feb 10, 2006

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's detailed info-graphic describes the Giant Magellan Telescope.
Feb 1, 2006

The casting of the first of seven primary mirror segments for the Giant Magellan Telescopes is complete.
Nov 4, 2005

Aug 30, 2005

Read and Listen to goings on at the Steward Observatory Mirror Lab. NPR's story features an interview with Carnegie Observatories' Director Dr. Wendy Freedman:
Jul 28, 2005

On Thursday, July 16, a huge spinning oven, incongruously located under the bleachers at the University of Arizona football stadium, will be fired-up in preparation for the historic GMT Mirror Casting Event on July 23rd.
Jun 14, 2005

To sense the scale of the GMT, Carnegie Observatories Facilities Staff painted these circles in the parking lot on Santa Barbara Street.
Jun 13, 2005

The installation of Hexagonal Cores nears completion at Steward Mirror Lab, U Arizona. Over 1700 cores are installed in the mold, creating honeycomb voids in the final mirror. The voids significantly reduce the mirror's weight, and enable its temperature to stabilize much more rapidly than a solid glass mirror. This is the first of seven mirrors comprising the GMT Primary.
May 18, 2005

As featured in AAAS Science Magazine
May 2, 2005

Hexagonal Cores being installed into the mold for "GMT1" off-axis primary mirror segment at Steward Mirror Lab, U Arizona.
Apr 14, 2005

Dec 8, 2004