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The Billion-Dollar Telescope

Posted by michael on from the i-spy-with-my-little-eye dept.

dcmeserve writes "As in all science, astronomers are ever searching for better technology to aid in their task. But when it comes to telescopes, nothing beats sheer bulk of light-gathering capability. This article gives a brief overview of the top contenders for the next leap forward, including a 100-meter behemoth that is expected to run $1 billion."

2 of 326 comments (clear)

  1. The cool thing about seeing things farther away by Naomi_the_butterfly · · Score: 5, Insightful
    When we look at nearby stars, we know that there are (almost definitely) the same kinds of phenomena around the universe. So, why look farther?
    The answer is, using these big telescopes, we can look back in time. Light travels at a set speed in a vacuum: approximately 186,000 miles per second. The universe is so large, however, that light (and other forms of energy such as x-rays and radio waves) that was generated a bit after the creation of the universe in the big bang is just reaching us! Now, we see (and so do optical telescopes) by filtering light generated by or bouncing off of objects. So, by looking out, as far as we can, we can literally look back in time to the creation of all that is. And that, my geeky friends, is why we need giant telescopes.

    Happy Stardust/Mars days :)

  2. Re:Meanwhile, Hubble is fighting for its life... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    From the policy side of this, though, it is the right decision (ACed as well, because the policy part is MY job). Money has to be spent on HST, because HST is up and functioning. If they turned off the money while the telescope was still working (and it is, and will be for the forseeable future) there would be a huge outcry... and a negative reaction from Congress.

    Which brings me to my main point. NASA is NOT a zero sum game. The Congress LIKES the HST very much. More than it likes your project, to be blunt (whatever it is, Congress likes HST better than everything else in the Office of Space Science). If NASA were to take the money away from HST, the Congress would take that money away from them, and would probably cut more from the program as well. The popularity of HST has a spill over effect into the rest of the program. It's likely that your project owes its existence to the success of HST.

    I'm sure it's frustrating to have your budget reduced continually, but attacking the successful projects at NASA is a good way to ensure those reductions in your program become permanent... Oh, and one other thing... those other projects WILL be launched. Not on schedule, perhaps, but they will be launched.