Context: An Indian delegation led by the Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) visited Mauna Kea, Hawaii, USA and discussed challenges in the progress of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) project and ways to overcome them.
About Thirty Metre Telescope:
- TMT is an international project which aims at building a 30-metre diameter telescope at Mauna Kea, Hawaii, USA.
- At the heart of the telescope is the segmented mirror, made up of 492 individual segments, which makes it three times as wide as the world’s largest existing visible-light telescope.
- Precisely aligned, these segments will work as a single reflective surface of 30 m diameter.
- The larger the mirror, the more light a telescope can collect, which means that it can see farther, fainter objects.
- Upon construction, TMT would be one of the world’s most advanced and capable ground-based optical and infrared observatory.
- Wavelength: Optical, near-infrared, and mid-infrared.
- Estimated cost: 1.47 billion USD (Base year 2012 USD).
- It is a joint effort of an international consortium of scientific organisations and institutions in Canada, China, India, Japan and USA.
Significance:
The telescope would help in the:
- Study of exoplanets and whether their atmospheres contain water vapour or methane — the signatures of possible life, and detection of extraterrestrial life.
- Study of black holes, evolution of galaxies, dark matter and dark energy.
Why Mauna Kea?
- Mauna Kea is a dormant volcano located on Hawaii’s Big Island, USA.
- Astronomers favour Mauna Kea because the clean air and limited light pollution at its summit 4,205 metres above sea level make it one of the world’s best locations for studying the skies.
- The area was selected in July of 2009 by the board of the Thirty Meter Telescope after a five-year-long campaign.
- The project was started in 2014, but was soon halted due to opposition by native Hawaiins who consider Mauna Kea as sacred, and also concerns regarding environmental damage.
- The indigenous people on the island argue that because of the massive size of the facility, the project would further desecrate the summit.
- The mountain has religious significance for native Hawaiians and already houses 12 observatories on the summit.