Date/Time
Date(s) - 30/11/2005
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Title: Canada and Extremely Large Telescopes

Speaker: Dr. Ray Carlberg

Institute: Astronomy Department – University of Toronto

Location: ABB 102

Description:

Within the last decade astrophysicists have discovered that many other stars have planetary systems, that the expansion of the universe is accelerating and that most future progress on these and a whole host objects detectable in radio and space telescope images requires new, extremely large ground-based optical-infrared telescopes. Over the last decade technological developments are enabling large telescopes to correct images to be nearly of “space quality”, that is diffraction limited. In addition, future telescopes will feature modular elements to create large mirrors which will substantially reduce the cost compared to a simple scaling up of existing designs. Canadians have an extremely strong record in astrophysics and have developed much technical and industrial strength in the related facilities. A group of 21 universities in Canada, ACURA, is full engaged in creating the Thirty Metre Telescope, along with partners in the USA.