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Australia’s Path to a Giant Telescope

Australia’s Path to a Giant Telescope. Matthew Colless MNRF Symposium 7 June 2003. International ELT projects. Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) GMT (20m) = US private consortium Carnegie, Harvard, SAO, Arizona, MIT, Michigan, Texas Thirty Metre Telescope (TMT)

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Australia’s Path to a Giant Telescope

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  1. Australia’s Path to a Giant Telescope Matthew Colless MNRF Symposium 7 June 2003

  2. International ELT projects • Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) • GMT (20m) = US private consortium • Carnegie, Harvard, SAO, Arizona, MIT, Michigan, Texas • Thirty Metre Telescope (TMT) • TMT (30m) = CELT (US priv.) + GSMT (US pub.) + VLOT (Can.) • Caltech, U.California, NOAO, AURA, ACURA • European Large Telescope (OWL) • OWL (100m) = OverWhelmingly Large telescope • ESO, Opticon (most European countries)

  3. Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT)

  4. Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT)

  5. The European Large Telescope (OWL)

  6. ELT science scope = most of astronomy • Dark matter and dark energy • First light and reionization • Galaxy assembly at high-redshift • Growth of black holes • Chemical evolution of stars & galaxies • Origin of stellar masses • Uniqueness of our solar system • Formation of habitable worlds SERENDIPITY!

  7. Mapping science goals to telescope design Stellar Populations in Galaxies Characterizing Exoplanets 0 The Birth of Planetary Systems The Birth of Galaxies: The Birth of Large Scale Structure

  8. Essential capabilities for ELT science

  9. ELT technical capabilities science gains

  10. Technology developments needed

  11. Australia’s ELT Roadmap • The Australian ELT Working Group has produced an ELT Roadmap with three main strands… • Smart buyers… Which ELT? Science, technology, share, access, etc. • Technology leaders… Developing Australian technology for ELTs • Antarctic advantage… The best telescope on earth should be at the best site on earth • The Roadmap is available on the web at… http://www.aao.gov.au/instrum/ELT/

  12. GMT - a focus for Australian ELT effort • Australia’s goal is 10-20% of an ELT • Open to participating in any of the ELT projects • Keeping in close contact with all three • However, to provide a real focus for Australian ELT effort, the ELT WG is opening collaboration with the GMT project • This is not yet partnership (Australia has ‘observer’ status)

  13. Ten reasons Australia should join GMT • World-leading science (mostly common to other ELTs) • Balance between technical risk and science opportunity • Low cost for large share (‘second to none’) • Early entry leads to more influence and greater benefits • Technology development leading to knowledge transfer • Education & training - links to leading US institutions • Flexible funding model - some choice in how, when, what • Southern location offers synergy with AU facilities & SKA • Interest in 2nd-generation Antarctic ELT • Genuine partnership based on mutual interests & regard

  14. GMT cost estimates • The estimated costs for the 20m GMT are… • Design ~ US$50M • Construction ~ US$450M • Operation ~ US$20M/year • For comparison… • TMT is estimated to be ~50% higher (US$750M) • OWL is estimated to cost €1200M to construct

  15. GMT schedule  first light ~2018

  16. Initial Australian collaborations with GMT • Currently: joint involvement by ANU/AAO/UNSW staff in concept design of visible multi-object spectrograph for GMT • Proposed for 2006 (funding sought via LIEF): • Further design study of VISMOS (OCIW/AAO/ANU) • Study of mirror phasing techniques (Arizona/ANU) • Wind flow studies of telescope & enclosure (commercial engineering consultants - Sinclair Knight Merz) • Australian contribution valued at ~AU$600k • Seek to credit this contribution to future GMT partner share, with approval of GMT Council

  17. The MNRF contribution • MNRF is funding the Australian ELT effort by providing funding for… • the Australian ELT Project Scientist: • Prof. Warrick Couch (UNSW, 0.3 FTE) • a Deputy Project Scientist: • Dr Charles Jenkins (RSAA, 0.2 FTE) • travel support for these roles • The funding amounts to $140k p.a. for period 2005-2007

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