World's largest optical telescope takes shape

This drone footage shows ESO's Extremely Large Telescope taking shape in the Chilean Atacama Desert. We can see the insulating cladding being used to dress the dome and the white lattice structure at the centre - now almost complete - that will support the ELT’s 39-m primary mirror. Around the 1:30 mark, we can also see two arc-shaped tracks, currently protected with tan wooden plates, bracketing the white lattice. These tracks will allow the telescope to move in altitude. The grey beams at opposite sides of the lattice, seen more clearly at the 2:15 mark, will support the so-called Nasmyth platforms -- two tennis-court-sized areas where the scientific instruments will rest.
Find out more here: www.eso.org/public/videos/pot...
Credit: G. Hüdepohl (atacamaphoto.com)/ESO. Music: Jon Kennedy. Acknowledgements: CIMOLAI

[@manvendrajs3456]

Beautiful background music almost gives a feeling of a storytelling session. Well once this telescope starts operating it will be telling stories from the past.

[@ESOobservatory]

What a beautiful way of describing what the ELT will do!

[@sebastianclarke2441]

What a time to be alive! First light can't come soon enough. Keep up the excellent work ELT team and thanks for this excellent behind the scenes footage.

[@ESOobservatory]

Thanks! Glad you like this footage!

[@raykewin3608]

Epic.

[@ptonpc]

Every time I see this, the scale is just mind blowing.

[@Irene-io6fb]

Amazing!!!❤

[@ASCENTxyz]

3:20 How long the shadow of the mountain is is insane 😮

[@coastwalker101]

Beautiful video of a fabulous object. Technically speaking I could do with a few more close ups to get the scale of it better.

[@deeliciousplum]

Sexy! ESO making the construction of an ELT look and sound "hot". 😊🌸

[@arnaudliotta2111]

Soon time to go back to the Atacama desert!

[@chrismayer8990]

Thanks to the individual floors in the dome, you get a good impression of what a giant you are building! My respect to everyone involved! I am proud that my country is one of the ESO states.❤

[@ESOobservatory]

It does provide a great sense of scale, right?

[@chrismayer8990]

@@ESOobservatory It does!

[@realzachfluke1]

This is real. This is happening. People are building this.

[@treefarm3288]

When will the mirrors be installed?

[@ESOobservatory]

We're planning to install them over the course of 2027.

[@harshbayad7]

I had a doubt, i had read somewhere that the quasar S5 0014+81 is the fastest growing black hole, of about 4000 solar masses a year, or about 11 solar masses per day. Is that true?

[@mariadaluzmoutinho5701]

Num local a beleza da aridez ...a concepção de um telescópio fascinante, os olhos potentes e apontados ao Universo!! Que conexão simbiotica adorável!! Um trabalho dantesco, engenhoso na conquista do assombro e graciosidade!! Obrigado...