press dossier inauguration Gran Telescopio CANARIAS 24th july 2009 the in . It is in the infrared spectrum that the GTCwill the that spectrum infrared the in is It infrared. in also but range, see, can eye visible human the the that light the in is which only not Universe, the in objects across diagonally. metres two almost one each pieces, hexagonal 36 of up only mirror was rejected in the favour of a made is It eyes. telescope in human Europe for which, due to its size, a monolithic million four to equivalent vision, extraordinary telescope the gives This now. to up built telescopes optical other than larger metres six square than more area collecting light a it giving diameter, mirror circular single a to equivalent area surface a has mirror primary GTC’s The light. collecting for capacity its on depends power telescope’s a camera, a in lens telephoto a Like see. will it clearer and farther the and receive will it light more the is mirror its bigger currently thelargesttimemachineonplanet. Thanks to the surface area of its , the GTC is objects and study the origin and evolution of the Universe. distant most the observe will we which through window oms Hw a w cpue h rfetos f its of reflections the The light? capture ancient we can How Cosmos? the of moments earliest the glimpse mankind can How accepted ago. most years billion the 14 some began to models, cosmological according that, past of fragments distant us a bringing and light with it filling space through travel Photons time. in back look to is distance Its instruments allow it to pick up the faintest celestial filter.likecosmic is a telescope the A reason, this For Light, space and time. In the Universe, to see into the biggest is the is (GTC)Telescopio CANARIAS Gran in metres 10.4 time machine that couldbecandidatesforhousingsomeformoflife. planets future potential them, inside and System, Solar our to rise gave that ones the like discs planetary “see” turbulence, the Gran Telescopio CANARIAS will be able to correction of image imperfections caused by atmospheric Once fitted with its systems. star other in own our to similar planets stars. The new telescope will also be a tool for new discovering of birth the clouds, molecular dense behind hidden after the emerged compounds chemical what out of find holes, black characteristics the be at detail will more It in look unveiled. to be possible will seen before never the and instruments. the biggest telescope paired with the best and very latest combination: well-known a is double It GTC. the this into advantage build they and features, cutting-edge with and OSIRIS kingdom,. animal the in does rattlesnake a as the way same in objects, by emitted radiation thermal the detect With the GTC Big Bang, go deeper into dark matter and witness,

r saeo-h-r instruments state-of-the-art are CanariCam adaptive optics the universe of answers will be enlarged system, which will allow the

1 What is it? balcony astral an the clouds observation. Geographically speaking, , the , speaking, Geographically observation. together to create exceptional conditions for astronomical National Park, a place where geography and climate come of LaPalma. island the on built been has CANARIAS Telescopio Gran later, Centuries sky,the same the beneath level sea known. above metres 2,400 are they as “benahoaritas” or a magical and sacred place for the aborigines of , mountains. In fact, Roque de los Muchachos was probably the “seaofclouds”. can see above the cloud cover, known in popular terms as GTC the that guarantees also location the of altitude The southern. the of part and hemisphere celestial northern the of whole the over views telescope the giving equator del Roque de los Muchachos (ORM) is close to the Earth´s above The GTC stands at the edge of the Caldera de Taburiente the revered Islands Canary the of people ancient The Observatorio Observatorio addition ofwiththeGTC. the with equipped better even now is it and world, the in anywhere the found telescopes of of arrays one extensive to most home is Observatory of the all reasons For these reserve”. “ true a site this quality, making observation of guarantee another is This ORM. the above traffic air radio and pollution atmospheric light, and wave limiting by Palma La astronomical of peaks extraordinary the of quality the protects in which place in 1988, put legislation of piece pioneering a island, light against pollution fromurbancentres. shield a as acts clouds” of “sea so-called the Furthermore, turbulence. reduces considerably which prevailing the constant, and dry are they and winds trade the are winds -1600m) (1,200 the layer Above inversion transparent. thermal and stable is atmosphere the and clear exceptionally are nights of cent per 80 where The , for point observation privileged a is This rtcs h amshr oe the over atmosphere the protects Law” “Sky

2 Where is it? divert thephotons towardsthefocalpointselected. to itself” “park and out and in slide axis, its on rotate can that “lift” a with mirror a is telescope. It the within foci different to sending it a has also GTC The structure. telescope the in expansion thermal and bending for secondary mirror can move very quickly on five axes to compensate The mirror. primary the of shape the with aligned and to adapted the at continues mirrors of clear. swirling water and then seeing it again when the water is calm and through pool swimming a of bottom the on object an seeing like is make will it difference The second). real-time per apply 200 (around to corrections mirrors deformable using by atmosphere the through travels it as light to caused aberrations for that compensates technology ambitious an is telescope, the at installed be to the earth’sthe The atmosphere. crosses it as kilometres so or ten last the in distorted only is but technique iscalledactiveoptics keep to them aligned and segments maintain the overall shape the of the ‘bowl’. This in movements precise induce actuators guided Computer- second. a times 20 system control the to information send segment each of edges the at sensors position, in keepthem 36 segments need to work mirror’s together as a single surface. To comes togetheracompleteimageisformed. into divided hexagonal is segments. When mirror light from these the 36 individual segments insects, in eyes composite like why, is That light. of amount possible maximum the collect to is it if mirror space more efficiently. use The can GTC hexagons needs together, to grouped use are every circles inch of when its occur primary that gaps the eliminating By limited. is space available the when occur mirror 10.4mindiameterandweighingnearly17tonnes. circular a to equivalent is complete, jigsaw,when This bowl. open are put together they form a perfect hyperbola, the shape of a wide- segments the When kilograms. 470 weighs and thick centimetres eight is mirror The across. metres two almost one each segments, special pieces. Firstly, its primary mirror is made up of The light´s journey does not end at the Light travels millions of kilometres from a distant star or galaxy or star distant a from kilometres of millions travels Light primary The mirrors. of game a is star a GTC,capturing the For h ae h pieces the are Why The Gran Telescopio CANARIAS is like a jigsaw puzzle with very giant's ht a itrut h lgts path, light´s the interrupt can that mirror third the hexagonal , which is serrated and serrated is which mirror, secondary adaptiveoptics . huh I ntr, hexagons nature, In though? primary primary mirror. The game system, which is soon is which system, 36 hexagonal Vivo. DANCES: TYPICAL Pardela. BIRDS: NATIVE Retama. CANARIAN PLANTS: Mocán. TREES: NATIVE Frontera. PARKS: and Lanzarote. ISLANDS: THE CANARIANNAMESOF42MIRRORS the on reverse ofeachitssegments. heritage Canarian its of signs the bears therefore GTC The together,put being are them give decidedto was it possible to identify the 42 mirrors (36 plus six substitutes) when they it Tomake hyperbola. the make they together, fitted when that, so was thesizeofIberianPeninsula. mirror the if high millimetre one just “mountains” to equate would which - nanometres 30 than higher no are segments mirror primary thinner times 3,000 the (a of surface the or in bumps any that hair.means human nanometres This a millimetre), than a 15 of of millionth tolerance a is a nanometre to polished been has surface mirror’s The distortion. image avoid to helps this and temperature, in changes with little very contracts and expands it hobs domestic material vitroceramic equivalent to the headlights of a car in Australia or a bowl of hot of bowl a beans onthesurfaceofanewmoon. or Australia in car a of headlights the to equivalent details see to able be GTCwill the that that mean systems these of All night. at needed be will that temperatures operating the forecast also predict and regulate day-time temperatures inside the dome and causing air turbulence that could distort the image. The telescope can exterior and interior the between temperature in differences prevent a with fitted is dome view.The giant’s the of Although all of the segments seem the same, their shapes differ shapes their same, the seem segments the of all Although The mirror segments are made of Zerodur of made are segments mirror The way the in getting anything prevent to designed been all has It iafy, ada Tjd, ed, aaoa, auine and Taburiente Garajonay, Teide, Tejeda, Jandía, Timanfaya, El Hierro, La Palma, La Gomera, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura Almácigo, Sabina, Marmolán, Sanguino, Drago, Aderno and Aderno Drago, Sanguino, Marmolán, Sabina, Almácigo, unh, rj, aioe Cnro Apsa Gir and Guirre Alpispa, Canario, Capirote, Graja, Guincho, Folía, Isa, Seguidilla, Tanganillo, Sorondongo, Saltona and Saltona Tanganillo,Sorondongo, Seguidilla, Isa, Folía, Cardón, Bejeque, Tabaiba, Verode, Tajinaste, Codeso and vision that has “zero dilation” Like materials used in used materials Like dilation” “zero has that system to system ventilation TM , a special type of type special a , Canarian names. Canarian

3 The mirrors mechanism an astronomical make it easy for the telescope´s moving parts to rotate to parts moving telescope´s the for easy it make to is bearings these of job The oil. pressurised of film thin to that bearings effectively float the thanks whole of the superstructure on a with fitted input is GTC little The lubrication. very hydrostatic with move can telescope largest world´s the elephant, tame a Like stars? the for for compensate to them. systems relevant the activate and temperature in changes sense can body” “telescopic this not mean that it is insensitive: some of the components of does GTC the of scale grand The microns. 300 than less is mount the in distortion maximum statistics, colossal it and tonnes these Despite tonnes. two than more of mass a ten supports over weighs alone assembly mirror secondary The tonnes. 400 around of weight a bearing the mount,tubeandazimuthelevationrings. extreme precision. The structure is made up of weigh three parts: that with movements parts tiny perform to have yet tonnes several with high, metres 20 over structure o cn 0 tne mv eey ih t search to night every move tonnes 400 can How of capable spider metallic a is mount telescope The immense an is CANARIAS Telescopio Gran The moved withjustapushofthehand. be can structure telescope the of whole the oil”, of “pool circuit, cooled and returned to the bearings. a Thanks to this through pumped constantly needed are possible oil this of make to litres 2,700 The vibration. lessen to and servers connectedbyseveralkilometres offibreoptics. and computers 50 over of network a of consists system system target. . its locate to down and up moves and base its on rotates which tank, a on canon the to way similar (vertical). a in works elevation It and (horizontal) azimuth the axes: a locates it perpendicular two along When moves GTC the object, celestial calculated. be can make to needs telescope the movements the that so second a times 20 measured be will stars the of position the Universe, the to doors its opens cathedral” “astronomical own very our tall - somewhat higher than the cathedral in Seville. When metres 45 together,taken are parts its of diameter all in when and, metres 34 is It telescope. the outside and inside both turbulence prevent to designed is It helmet. The dome The telescope is fitted with a complex real-time to manage all of its mechanisms and optics. This optics. and mechanisms its of all manage to protecting the GTC is shaped like a spherical control

4 The superstructure is it just question not eecps n aai A 8 ers e ae the have we European four metres 8 At Hawaii. in telescopes Keck collecting light surface ofthemall:81.9squaremetres. biggest the and mirror diameter metre 10.4 its with , largest the is GTC The generation. a as to two Anglo-American Anglo-American two predecessors that reallymakes thedifference. the is It experience. their from learning predecessors, its of design the on improve to tried has GTC the telescopes, factor.deciding large of generation the in latest the Being the over has TelescopioCANARIAS Gran In different. the that astronomy,metres of square terms 6.2 extra telescopes the large these makes that mirror more limited. is smaller than the GTC’s and their range of movements is in metres area 11 surface receptive useful respectively,their diameter and 9 mirrors, large have they Although Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), in South Africa. next scale, in up the come Moving Arizona. in (LBT) Telescope Kea, and the two 8.4 metre mirrors of the Japanese Next in line, at 10 metres, are the two north American Large telescopes of 8 to 10 metres are always referred However, it is not only the diameter of the primary the of diameter the only not is it However, opened up between it and its and it between up opened breach technological (HET), in Texas,Telescopethe in Eberly and (HET), Hoby , also on the Hawaiian island of Mauna of island Hawaiian the on also Subaru, of Very Large Telescopes Large Very size a n hl ad aai the Hawaii, and Chile in Gemini (VLT) in Chile, the Chile, in (VLT) Large Binocular is not the not is Keck is used to its full potential and the scientists make the makebest useoftheirtime. scientists the and potential full its to used is modes for the prevailing conditions, so that the telescope observation and instruments best the select continually to scientists allows observing This instruments. available and time remaining climate, queued the conditions, in monitors computer atmospheric operate a which mostly in mode, will observation GTC The efficiency. high excellent qualities: outstanding three its in also but has size, its world in only not the lies secret telescope Its seen. ever best the is GTC the built-in, times several greater thaninothertelescopeslike theGTC. now is stability, image for requirements event of external disturbances, one of the most important to the full: active optics and adaptive optics. Rigidity in the it optimise to technologies two together brings telescope the and paramount, is quality image surface, collecting the best motors and codifiers yet built. With its large light 15 of one has it likeand its sturdier much polished, is something structure highly mechanical more of are mirrors leap GTC’s The technological years. a is there With the most up to date and innovative technology innovative and date to up most the With example, for telescopes, large first the to Compared n maximum and reliability technical mg quality, image observational observational

5 Why is it different? operation was a operation constitute in instruments instrument first The observation. astronomical unique for tool powerful these world´s and the telescope Together, biggest specialisms. telescope’s the determine to life,allowingitanalyseandstudythephotonspicksup. it bring that instruments scientific the is it bodies, celestial distant observing for capacity its to fundamental is telescope a of capacity collecting light the Although retina. a without eye an like be would snl ngt f bevto wt te T a poutv a 40 as productive as GTC the with observation of night single a make will which astronomy, infrared of forefront the at camera a Nacional AutónomadeMéxico(IA-UNAM). Universidad the of Astronomía de Instituto the and (IAC) Canarias de Astrofísica de Instituto the between partnership a of result the is itself,and Universe the and galaxies of evolution the of artefacts study can OSIRIS telescopes. other with possible not the is with that GTCscience do to possible it make will which filter, of type this in lies power OSIRIS’ filters. conventional 19,000 to equivalent together,are which, filters tunable of system innovative an uses it this do To spectrum. their analysing by objects celestial study to uses it which spectroscope, its is asset main Its detect. can eye human a that light the words other in range, visible the in works It will. at adjusted be can which filters, its to thanks instruments quickertimes ten almost sharp and fast, is vision similar other than Its telescope. the on installed instrument only now,the for is, and of technology. will continue to be developed for the GTC, keeping it in the vanguard date, h isrmns l hv uiu caatrsis n they and characteristics unique have all instruments The it sense: no make would instruments without telescope A Among the latest generation of instruments is also is instruments of generation latest the Among March last observations astronomical first its made OSIRIS and EMIR , closely followed by followed closely OSIRIS, will join them. New ultramodern instruments ultramodern New them. join will FRIDA retina the . At a later a At CanariCam. CanariCam, of the big n wl as alw pcr fo svrl ifrn sucs o be to sources obtained simultaneously. different several from spectra allow also will and Universe the in infrared formation star of study near the for tool key the a is for range, cover designed will which ever instrument, range This widest Astronomy. the with spectrograph object devices. (United States). bright very stars. CanariCam was around designed and built planets by the University identify of Florida to used is It star. a from light the out blocking “eclipses,” artificial create to use is mask a which in technique a is Coronography detail. in galaxy our of centre the studying and dwarfs brown detecting for useful particularly be will the form, structure and composition of a large range of objects and analyse will It stars. distant around planets extrasolar or formation radiation emitted by the coldest objects in the Universe, like stars in telescopes. Using polarimetry, for example, it will examine polarised other at instruments different three least at need would that work to perform both polarimetry and coronography, making it capable of installation in spring 2010, will be for planned the is which first CanariCam, thermal telescope. metre infrared 4 a instrument with nights nt Ti i we te setocp i tre iesos will dimensions” three in come intoplay. “spectroscope the when is This Unit. across journey its the atmosphere, FRIDA will commence work by using its Integral Field light to caused turbulence the time real in eliminated has telescope the After system. optics adaptive GTC’s FRIDA will be the first instrument to work with light corrected México, by the de Autónoma Universidad the of Astronomía de Instituto The other actor on the stage will be infrared two feature will instruments of generation second The , whose development was led by the IAC, is a multi- a is IAC, the by led was development whose EMIR, eye FRIDA. A project led by the

6 The instruments telescope a telescope could therefore notbebuilt. it was argued at the time that it was too low and that the contrary,the on either; excessive not was budget original The inflation. for adjusting after budget original the than the of less percent cost ten over euros, million 104 around total is project The year. a cents 25 under been has citizen Spanish the GTCto the of cost the time that all In design, construction and commissioning of the telescope. people, from one hundred companies, have worked on the of construction thousand a than more decade a GTC.of the course the In and development the of management efficient provide to 1984 in up set was company public the supportneededwassecured. and convincing ultimately were transfer, technology for increasing capacity in industry and providing opportunities for means a as potential, economic its and project the of construction of a large telescope? The cutting edge nature participation was thought essential. Could lead the international and alone project big a such takeforward to unforthcoming. There was little confidence in Spain’s ability technology capabilityinSpanishindustry. advanced expand to third and worldwide; row front the in observatories Canarian the keep to second, telescope; edge cutting own its with community astronomy Spain’s wanting to embark on such a huge project: First, to provide a 4.2 metre diameter mirror. The IAC had three reasons 1987, when in the William telescope Herschel Telescope large entered a service with building of idea the forward made Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias de Astrofísica de Instituto The t h isiain f h IC te GRANTECAN the IAC, the of instigation the At was proposals the for support days, early the In (IAC) first put first (IAC) in for spain technology inour country. for demand increased to led and development industrial its with the construction and commissioning phases. This project, Spain in and, locally, industries built in La Palma were very involved in in were components essential The technology.telescope’s ultramodern of fields into expand to it helping industry, mobilise can shows initiative GTC scientific the a how like instrument The complex a result. competitive of a building as more presence international an become gained and have which companies, this of cent per seventy monumental Over feat of engineering was delivered by Spanish Spain. by built and led Spain. in groups research astrophysics to going cent per ninety with time, observing of cent per five to access have will they return In . and States United the from parts equal in come has funding the of cent per ten remaining any observing time guarantee for astrophysicists from the Canaries. The not does this although GRANTECAN, in stake cent per fifty a Spain have each Islands of Canary the and Governments The observation. astronomical for quality exceptional an of are which skies, its of form the in resources natural provided also has (FEDER). Canaries The Fund Development Regional European the by the Canaries (70/30), together with significant investment of Community Autonomous the and Government Spanish best observation proposals. the to allocated only is telescope the at time that so strict, euros. be must processes selection 80,000 why explains This around costs GTC the at observation of night each costs, construction the alongside account into h Ga Tlsoi CNRA was CANARIAS Telescopio Gran The the of cent per Ninety When operating and maintenance expenses are taken label, has been an been has label, Spain in made a cm fo the from come has finance engine driving engine conceived,

7 The project cooperation: international srnmr t osre fo Mxc, ein o the of regions Universe obscured byinterstellardust. Mexico, permits from observe, and to sensitivity excellent possesses antenna diameter metre 50 Its range. frequency its in world the in telescope radio largest the Milimétrico, Telescopio Gran the at time GTCfor the at time observing of exchange an includes also Mexico with deal partnership The GTC. the for components important institutions building in involved very been Mexican have they and These budget telescope´s the of 5% contribute (CONACYT). Technology Mexico and Science of for Council National the the and (IA-UNAM), Mexico (INAOE) Electronics and Optics Astrophysics, of Institute of University National the Autonomous of Astronomy of Institute the with signed of flagship internationalprojectwithSpainatthehelm. exchange an a became GTC to The staff. and students PhD led researchers, and institutions the working joint between increased project The time. observing of would country 5% for return in budget telescope´s the each of 5% contribute that meant reached agreements The joined partners. as project States CANARIAS Telescopio Gran United the the and Mexico only in institutions initially group of a 2001, in reason, Finally, invest. to this prepared was Spain and For obstacles confidence. insurmountable damaged as the seen for were budget low project the and inexperience Spain’s job. eio eae prnr hn gemns were agreements when partner a became Mexico Mexico tough a was countries other in partners Convincing f lrd bit h CnrCm ntuet a thermal a instrument, CanariCam infrared camera,fortheGTC infrared. the built Florida of University the at Astronomy of Department The projects. instrumentation on work joint to led has agreement the an exchange of post-doctoral researchers and technicians, other tasks and investments prior to its use. In addition to to agreed contribute 5% of the telescope’s budget and to undertake institution NorthAmerican The CANARIAS. Telescopio Gran the with agreement participation a has united h Uiest o Foia eerh onain also Foundation Research Florida of University The University ofFlorida and mexico states

8 The partners contribution onthe worldstage. largest the made for has that science as Spanish of branch the Astrophysics machine confirms also class It science. world cutting-edge a community astrophysics Spanish the gives and division”, “first the in Muchachos los de Roque del Observatorio the of place the secures pursue can that tool fordevelopingideasabouttheE-ELT. telescopes of eight metres and beyond, the GTC is an ideal in thetwentyfirstcenturyisassured. CANARIAS’ position as a powerful Telescopio Gran the telescopes, super larger and metre 40 ground-based of generation new a have designing started astronomers and announced been has telescope With the GTC, Spain has joined the ranks of countries of ranks GTC,the the joined With has Spain Just as four-metre telescopes paved the way for large o ta te eieet f the of retirement the that Now the rjcs Te telescope The projects. science” “big entering future platform for Astronomy space Hubble candidates: theCanaryIslandsandChile. main two only are there metres, 40 of upwards diameter a with telescopes install to States United the and Europe 16 times more powerful than the GTC. In the race between Europe area where the E-ELT can be built, and it would be in place only the Telescopeis Large Canaries (E-ELTThe ). Extremely European the particular in telescopes, future of design the for value huge of is GTC the operating and The experience gained through building, fine-tuning fine-tuning building, through gained experience The

9 Great science