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Do Not Distribute Publicly GMT Frequently Asked Quest For Internal Use Only – Do Not Distribute Publicly GMT Frequently Asked Questions May 2015 Question Categories What is GMT? Construction Questions Chile/Site Questions Telescope Questions Money Questions Timing Questions Astronomy Questions Extremely Large Telescope Questions Other Questions Tech Specs TMT Questions What is GMT? Q: What is the Giant Magellan Telescope? A: The Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) will be the first in a new class of Extremely Large Telescopes, capable of exploring the cosmos with unprecedented clarity and sensitivity. The GMT will peer back in time to shortly after the Big Bang, when the first stars, galaxies, and black holes formed. The GMT will leverage cutting-edge optics technology to combine seven giant mirrors to achieve 10 times the angular resolution of the Hubble Space Telescope in the infrared region of the spectrum. When it begins operations early in the next decade, GMT will embark on a mission of discovery to explore the origins of the chemical elements (carbon, oxygen, nitrogen and others) that make up our planet and our bodies, the formation of the first stars to form in the Universe, and the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy. The GMT will also search distant exoplanets for signs of biological processes around other stars in our Milky Way galaxy. CONSTRUCTION QUESTIONS Q: Why have you decided to formally move forward with the construction now? A: The idea behind the Giant Magellan Telescope has been maturing for some time. In 2014 the project completed a rigorous set of reviews that evaluated the project’s design plan and budget. Having passed the inspection with flying colors, and having raised more than $500 million dollars (US) for construction, the Giant Magellan Telescope Organization (GMTO) Board of Directors has unanimously voted to move into the construction phase of this historic endeavor. Q: When will construction begin? A: Construction of the Giant Magellan Telescope and its support facilities in the Chilean Andes will begin in the middle of this year. Q: When will construction be complete? A: The Giant Magellan Telescope will see “first light” early in the next decade and begin initial scientific operations as the largest telescope in the world, with at least four of its final complement of seven giant mirrors. The project is on-track to be completed with all seven mirrors by 2024. Q: What will be included in the first phase of construction? A: The first phase of construction will see completion of the telescope – a precision optical and mechanical instrument that collects light from celestial objects and delivers it to a focus – and the ‘dome’ – in fact a rotating cylindrical building that protects the telescope during the day. In addition, we will build an initial suite of scientific instruments including sophisticated cameras and spectrographs that will allow scientists to measure the composition and dynamics of distant planets and galaxies. A support campus for the technical staff and visiting astronomers will also be constructed. Q: What will not be included in the first phase of construction? A: Some of the more sophisticated optical instruments and advanced optical correction technology are not slated for construction during the initial phase. We will continue to develop these technologies, however, and when they are mature we will include them in the construction plan. These advanced instruments and correcting optics will further enhance the power of the observatory. Q: I thought you already started construction by making mirrors and leveling Las Campanas Peak? A: We realized early in the project that we needed to convince ourselves that we could make the challenging optics at the heart of the GMT. In late 2012 we completed the first of the GMT mirrors and thus retired our greatest technical risk. In addition, we began preparing the mountaintop site in the Chilean Andes for construction in mid 2012. This preconstruction work also allowed us to measure the properties of the rock under the soil and so finalize our designs for the foundation of the observatory. A telescope that looks up at the heavens must be firmly anchored to the Earth. Q: Who was involved in making the construction decision? A: The construction decision was made unanimously by GMTO’s Board of Directors. This is comprised of individuals from the Founding institutions, which are Astronomy Australia Limited, the Australian National University, Carnegie Institution for Science, Harvard University, Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, Smithsonian Institution, Texas A&M University, The University of Arizona, the University of Chicago, The University of Texas at Austin. Our newest partner, the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) has also signed on as a Founder, and will be represented at the June Board Meeting. Q: Now that you are moving forward with the construction, what will happen first? A: The first major construction activity will be to excavate the foundations for the observatory and the massive pier that will form the base of the telescope. It is ironic that in our reach for the heavens, our first step is to dig a deep hole in the Earth! Q: What contracts will be placed now construction is announced? A: We are working on three major procurement contracts. The first is a civil engineering contract to improve the roads, excavate the foundation, and build the basic infrastructure on the site. The second major contract will address the detailed design of the telescope; subsequently there will be a contract to build the precision structure, test it, and then ship it to Chile and assemble it on the mountaintop. The third major contract for the early stage is centered on fabricating the large rotating enclosure building that will form the ‘dome’ of the observatory. This large structure must protect the telescope during the day and in rare times of inclement weather, but must open at night to allow the telescope to see the heavens. Q: What was the process for the design and technical review before reaching this construction decision? A: The GMT project team has passed through several rigorous design and cost reviews. In the language of large projects these are called ‘conceptual’ and ‘preliminary’ design reviews, but there is little that is preliminary about them. The design and driving requirements were subject to a thorough review by an international panel of recognized experts in the development of large observatories. The GMT project will undergo regular reviews throughout the construction phase. Something as complex as a 25m telescope needs careful oversight from the best minds in science, engineering and project management. Q: Who is overseeing the construction of the GMT? A: The GMTO Board and the Founding partners are overseeing the construction of the GMT. The construction of the GMT will be managed by the GMTO organization under the leadership of its President, Edward Moses, Ph.D., a world-renowned engineer and physicist. Q: Is there a construction schedule published? A: The detailed construction schedule is not a public document, but later this year we hope to release a list of the key milestones along the way to completion of the observatory. CHILE/SITE QUESTIONS Q: Where is the GMT being built? A: The telescope will be built at Las Campanas Observatory (LCO) in the Andes mountain range in the Atacama Desert in Chile. At an elevation of almost 2400m (8000 feet) and latitude 29° South, Las Campanas is known for dark skies, excellent weather and outstanding seeing. Extensive site testing, both in advance of the construction of the twin Magellan 6.5m telescopes and for the GMT have shown that the images are quite sharp (half a second of arc for the technical experts – the width of a human hair as seen from the other end of a marathon!). While Las Campanas is a remote site far from any towns or cities, it has a well-developed infrastructure of roads, electrical power, and water from deep wells fed by runoff from the high Andes mountain range. Q: What are the benefits for Chile for hosting the GMT? A: The GMT will be located on the top of Las Campanas, the mountain that gives the name to the Las Campanas Observatory. In 1971 the first of the telescopes owned and operated by Carnegie Institution was opened to Carnegie astronomers and the Chilean community. Since then a number of smaller telescopes have operated at Las Campanas, making it one of the premier observatories on the planet. By the agreement with the University of Chile, all telescopes on Las Campanas, including the GMT, devote 10% of the observing time to professional astronomers working at Chilean institutions. Q: Are you working with the Chilean government? A: The GMTO organization has a cooperative agreement with the University of Chile and is recognized by the Government of Chile as a special international organization. The GMT team and our partner universities and institutions have active outreach activities in Chile and work closely with the Chilean Universities and the relevant departments of the Government of Chile. Q: How many jobs will you be creating in Chile with this program? A: During construction we expect to have up to 250 workers on site building the telescope and related infrastructure. The GMTO office in Santiago will have 20-40 staff during construction. During the operations phase (expected to be at least 50 years) we expect to employ 100-150 Chileans in technical, administrative and support positions. Q: Are there any natural hazards at the Las Campanas site? A: All of the world’s great observatories are perched atop high mountains. These mountains are made either from volcanic or plate tectonic processes and thus are inherently risky. We have designed the GMT to withstand the largest earthquakes expected in a 500-year period at the Las Campanas site.
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