Watch A Mountaintop Blow Up Live For Astronomy Tomorrow

universetoday.com ^ | June 18, 2014 | Elizabeth Howell on

[BenLurkin]

Tomorrow, the European Southern Observatory plans an event centered on a blast on Cerro Armazones, a 3,060-meter (10,000-foot) mountain in Chile’s Atacama Desert. The goal is to make way for construction of the European Extremely Large Telescope, which as its name implies will be a monster of an observatory. Read below for details on how to watch live.

“The E-ELT will tackle the biggest scientific challenges of our time, and aim for a number of notable firsts, including tracking down Earth-like planets around other stars in the ‘habitable zones’ where life could exist — one of the Holy Grails of modern observational astronomy,” ESO states on its page about the 39-meter (128-foot) optical/near-infrared telescope.

[BenLurkin]

We’re sure astronomers can hardly wait for operations to start in the next decade or so. ESO will livetweet the event (also follow the hashtag #EELTblast, where you can ask questions) and watch the entire event live tomorrow here http://new.livestream.com/accounts/1266210/events/3018574 , starting around 12:30 p.m. EDT (4:30 p.m. UTC).

[ConorMacNessa]

I do not support this. I'm no tree-hugger, but why do we have to destroy land on our own planet when we can research the far depths of the universe from Space, as we have with Hubble?

If I'm missing something, please enlighten me.

America demands Justice for the Fallen of Benghazi!

O stranger, tell the Lacedaemonians that we lie here, obedient to their command.

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[BenLurkin]

In this case, it’s a mountain top in the middle of nowhere.

Granted, even stark, barren desert has a rugged beauty of its own, but this project — I think — will actually enhance the landscape in this vicinity.

[KoRn]

At first, I felt the same as you do, but I believe there aren’t many ideal locations to place large observatories of this kind. I also believe they are overstating this a bit. I’m SURE they won’t be literally “destroying” a mountain. Most likely just clearing a building/compound location. I doubt it would be much different than clearing off a place on a mountain for a very large home.

[ConorMacNessa]

I hope you're right, FRiend!



Milky Way Over the Bungle Bungles, Western Australia

America demands Justice for the Fallen of Benghazi!

O stranger, tell the Lacedaemonians that we lie here, obedient to their command.

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[jiggyboy]

"We'll be there!"

[BenLurkin]

APOD worthy pic ping!

[BenLurkin]

The set-up crew for the E-ELT blast looks at Cerro Armazones. Credit: ESO

artist's interpretation of the completed projrct

[Celtic Conservative]

They should call it the Extremely Large Observatory, christen it ELO and then get Jeff Lynne et. al. to promote it. Maybe play “mr. blue sky” at its opening. Just a random, unedited thought.

CC

[Fire_on_High]

What, no ping for me?? *g*

[Celtic Conservative]

The next time there is an ELO related post I’ll ping you Fire_on_High. And if there are any more ELO related posting names such as “Eldorado” or “Rockaria!” please let me know.

ELO-LOL

CC

[SuziQ]

The Atacama Desert is one the driest places on the planet; there is not much life there at all, so unless someone is GOING there for the purpose of blowing up the mountain top, working to build the telescope, or working with the telescope, once it’s built, there would never be any need to go there.