ELT dome moves for the first time | ELT Updates

Like a flower following the Sun, the dome of ESO’s Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) will be able to rotate to allow the telescope to track objects in the sky. Seen under the bright blue skies of Cerro Armazones in the Chilean Atacama Desert, this video shows a test of the dome rotating for the first time.
The test moved the dome 10 m in either direction at 1 cm/s, but the final operating speed will be a walking pace of 5 km/h. The test was performed by engineers of Cimolai, the company contracted by ESO to design and build the ELT dome and telescope structure. The humans hard at work in this sped-up video show, for scale, the sheer size of the telescope dome. Rotating the dome is no small feat, as its skeleton currently weighs about 2500 tons, and will eventually weigh around 6100 tons when finished. This first test was carried out “manually” with special hydraulic devices, but eventually the enclosure will rotate via motorised bogies. While the motion of the dome is designed to be smooth, and was found to be during this test, the dome stands separate from the rest of the structure in order to limit vibrations to the telescope itself.
The dome, in its final form, will have an insulated aluminum cladding to protect the telescope from the elements and sliding doors to open it to the stars. Building this marvel of engineering in the middle of the desert presents unique challenges, and yet, recent achievements such as the dome rotating and the first mirror segments stored at Paranal show the ELT is moving closer to becoming reality.
More information and download options: www.eso.org/public/videos/pot...
Credit: ESO/Cimolai/E. Sech, A. Dradi

[@rubscratch98]

"Now witness the firepower of this fully armed and operational battle station" - Emperor Palpatine

[@CamundongoLeo]

And wait until the laser guide stars are on!

[@AnakinSkywalker-mm3gi]

I pledge myself to your teachings.

[@roybarron5289]

Ready the ion cannon

[@HzHz]

Super, how exciting. Thank you.

[@bbbenj]

Formidable !

[@ESOobservatory]

Indeed, it's mind-blowing to see it moving!

[@rjung_ch]

That is massive, just look at the people, they look like ants. ESO, you are doing great things! 👍💪✌

[@grigriminou7207]

Congratulations from Paris!

[@carlitosmoore6400]

Una obra de arte, paso a paso....avanzando.

[@asha.of.antares]

Congratulations from Florida, USA!

[@mariadaluzmoutinho5701]

Que incrível ...ver esta fascinante obra prima ciência e tecnologia...quase a iniciar e exibir com mestria as obras primas do Universo!!

[@QuantumFracture]

ole, ole!

[@ESOobservatory]

Thank you! 🔭

[@AlanArnsonMusic]

Felicidades!

[@ESOobservatory]

👍 👍 👍

[@Ursa-vov]

Wow

[@irvingsaavedra7503]

Genial el que ideó esta colosal obra 😮

[@imranzakaev3191]

The great human achievement

[@sanjaypandav464]

Namaste 🙏

[@Petitmoi74]

I'm following the construction thanks to the panoramic camera on site, but it's a real shame we can't see inside.

[@silvergullproductions]

Is there an estimated completion date? It’ll be so cool when it’s finished!

[@ESOobservatory]

The ELT is expected to start operating towards the end of the decade.

[@silvergullproductions]

@@ESOobservatory awesome, thanks for replying, I appreciate it 🙂🙏

[@matthewrowell8518]

Can’t wait to see some the absolutely stunning images this creates. In theory should rival the jwst in clarity. We are spoilt for astrology photos currently

[@cwulfe1]

I wonder if you could fit two of the domes for the Palomar 200-inch in that? 🤔

[@ESOobservatory]

The dome hosting the 200-inch (5.1 metres) Hale Telescope at Palomar Observatory is roughly 41 metres high and 42 metres in diameter. On the other hand, the dome of the ELT will be about 80 metres high and have a diameter of about 88 metres. So, two domes of the Hale Telescope would fit in the ELT’s dome, either one next to each other or one on top of the other - in this second case you’d have to squeeze them a bit, though. :)

[@tkaironx]

Podria ser la futura articulacion de un robot gigante que construyamos en el futuro, tal vez para limpiar asteroides

[@eluzairibeiro6208]

What is the atual job progress ?

[@ESOobservatory]

The construction of the ELT is advancing smoothly, having achieved significant milestones. These include surpassing the 50% completion mark last July and the successful delivery of the first segments of the primary mirror. To stay informed about the progress of the ELT construction, we invite you to keep an eye on our dedicated KZbin playlist: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i2TXp4x3d6eApZI You can also follow the progress via our webcams: elt.eso.org/about/webcams/

[@janwasser6332]

🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉👍👍👍

[@nathanlkoch]

All the bois know what puberty is like...

[@kynguyengia7654]

can you point it at the sun when it's done to see what happens

[@Petitmoi74]

Do you want to destroy the observation instruments ?

[@time-lapseseb1141]

@Petitmoi74 Don't feed the Troll, he too knows that would destroy the instruments, that's why he asked for it. Some people have verry strange needs.

[@Lukas43_]

Anche l'Europa dovrebbe costruirne uno

[@SweatLaserXP]

plz send pictures of neptune so beatiful

[@CrannyNoko]

Lets goooo