Thirty Meter Telescope

About Thirty Meter Telescope: 

• It is a revolutionary class of extremely large telescopes that will enable us to explore deeper into space and observe cosmic objects.
• It is an ambitious international project involving India, the United States, Canada, China, and Japan that aims to significantly advance our understanding of the universe.
• It is a next-generation astronomical observatory designed to provide unprecedented resolution and sensitivity with its massive 30-meter primary mirror, advanced adaptive optics system, and state-of-the-art instruments.
• Primary goals:
  • Study the early universe and the formation and evolution of the first galaxies and stars after the Big Bang.
  • Investigate the formation, structure, and evolution of galaxies across cosmic time.
  • Study the relationship between supermassive black holes and their host galaxies.
  • Investigate the formation of stars and planetary systems.
  • Characterize exoplanets and study their atmospheres.

Key Features of the TMT

• Mirror System
  • Primary Mirror: 30 meters in diameter, composed of 492 hexagonal segments.
  • Secondary Mirror: Composed of 118 smaller hexagonal segments.
  • Tertiary Mirror: 3.5 meters by 2.5 meters, positioned centrally within the primary mirror.
• The TMT will feature instruments like the Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (IRIS) and the Wide-Field Optical Spectrograph (WFOS) for various observations.

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What is an Adaptive Optics System?

• The TMT’s AOS, known as the Narrow Field Infrared Adaptive Optics System (NFIRAOS), uses deformable mirrors and laser guide stars to correct atmospheric turbulence, enhancing image resolution.
• Indian scientists have developed a tool to generate a comprehensive all-sky catalogue of NIR stars for this system.

Q1: What is a galaxy?

It is a huge collection of gas, dust, and of stars and their solar systems. A galaxy is held together by gravity. Our galaxy, the Milky Way, also has a in the middle.

Source: What is Thirty Meter Telescope and why is it significant for India?