Exploring the universe with the Giant Magellan Telescope

Ten times more powerful than Hubble, this ground-based observatory is due to become operational in 2029

1 Secondary mirrors

Light reflected from the primary mirrors will reflect off seven smaller mirrors, each of which is flexible. Beneath them lie hundreds of actuators that adapt the optics to compensate for atmospheric distortion, allowing for sharper images.

3 Telescope mount

Beneath the telescope is a mount, standing 36 metres (118 feet) above the observing floor. It holds the secondary-mirror support system and moves on two near-frictionless bearings.

5 Scientific instruments

Beneath the primary mirrors are CCD imaging cameras and spectrographs which not only capture, but record the collected light, determining how far away objects are and what they are made of.

2 The central hole

Light from the secondary mirrors is reflected down through a hole in the central primary mirror, where the concentrated light can be measured by advanced scientific instruments.

4 The dome

The 22-storey enclosure, built in the Atacama Desert in Chile because it’s one of the highest, driest locations on Earth, has retractable doors that can be opened at night.

6 Primary mirrors

Seven stiff monolith mirrors – each 8.4 metres (27 feet) in diameter – collect light from distant objects. They are shaped and polished within a wavelength of light, and together they form an optical surface that is 24.5 metres (80 feet) in diameter.