Giant Magellan Telescope Will Use 20 Ton Mirrors To Capture Detailed Images Of The Universe

The early stages of production are underway for what will be one of the world's most powerful telescopes.

Once completed, the Giant Magellan Telescope will stand as one of the largest telescopes ever made, says the GMT site. The 22-story structure will house seven "perfect mirrors," each crafted out of 20 tons of glass.

The construction and quality of the mirrors is key to the telescope's precision.

"We have to make this optic precise enough so that when the light travels 5, 10 billion light-years and comes and hits our telescope, we don't scramble and lose that information that's traveled so long," said Dr. Pat McCarthy, the GMT director.

When fully constructed, the GMT will allow scientists to view the universe in great detail. With a resolution 10 times the Hubble Space Telescope, the GMT will have the ability to measure the distances of objects very far from Earth that other massive telescopes haven't been able to measure, and determine what those objects are composed of.

The entire project is a collaboration between several top universities and science institutions. It is estimated that the GMT will be operational in around 10 years and it will reportedly be located in Chile.

The telescope's third mirror will be cast at the University of Arizona’s Steward Observatory Mirror Lab on Aug. 24. The lab is the only place in the world where mirrors that massive are fabricated.

Watch the video below to see all the details of the telescope's construction process: