Momento de verdade
Em Dezembro de 2023, os primeiros 18 segmentos do espelho primário do Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) do ESO partiram numa viagem de 10 000 km desde a Europa até ao deserto chileno do Atacama. Esta Fotografia da Semana captura o momento da verdade, altura em que os engenheiros do ESO desempacotaram e verificaram um dos segmentos nas Instalações Técnicas do ELT, para garantirem que tinha chegado em segurança ao Observatório do Paranal do ESO.
Devido ao seu tamanho e extrema fragilidade — cada espelho tem uma espessura de 5 cm para um tamanho de metro e meio e é moldado com uma precisão nanométrica — os segmentos de espelho foram embalados separadamente, cada um no seu casulo protetor. Cada caixa encontra-se equipada com sensores de humidade, temperatura e choque para se poder monitorizar as condições internas durante a longa viagem. Quando carregadas nos veículos de transporte, as caixas foram amortecidas por sacos de ar. Ao chegarem às Instalações Técnicas do ELT, os segmentos foram então cuidadosamente inspeccionados para se garantir que não tinham sido danificados durante a viagem.
Com os primeiros segmentos armazenados em segurança no Paranal, o ELT aproxima-se cada vez mais da sua primeira luz. Saíram já da linha de produção mais de 100 segmentos, os quais estão a ser verificados pelos engenheiros do ESO antes de serem enviados para o Chile. Com um espelho principal de mais de 39 metros, constituído por um total de 798 segmentos de espelho, o ELT é, de facto, uma maravilha tanto da engenharia como da astronomia, e irá fazer aumentar os limites do nosso Universo observável, conduzindo-nos a descobertas inimagináveis.
Link
Créditos:ESO/F. Carrasco
Sobre a imagem
| Id: | potw2404a |
| Língua: | pt |
| Tipo: | Fotográfico |
| Data de divulgação: | 22 de Janeiro de 2024 às 15:52 |
| Tamanho: | 6000 x 4000 px |
Sobre o objeto
| Nome: | Mirror |
| Tipo: | Unspecified : Technology : Observatory : Telescope |
Formatos de imagens
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