The Extremely Large Telescope

Extremely large telescopes (ELTs) are considered worldwide to be one of the highest priorities in ground-based astronomy. The European Southern Observatory (ESO) is developing an ELT that will have a 39 m main mirror and will be the largest visible and infrared light telescope in the world. The ELT will be equipped with a lineup of cutting-edge instruments, designed to cover a wide range of scientific possibilities. The leap forwards with the ELT can lead to a paradigm shift in our perception of the Universe, much as Galileo's telescope did 400 years ago. We illustrate here the various components of the ELT, including the dome and main structure, the five mirrors, and the telescope systems. We then describe the ELT instrumentation and some of the astronomical topics it will address. We then conclude by examining the synergies with other astronomical facilities.
Comment: Published in Contemporary Physics. 25 pages, 12 figures