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Astrónomos construyen el observatorio más avanzado del mundo con LEGO®

29 de Junio de 2017

Para construir el Observatorio Paranal de ESO en Chile, una de las instalaciones para telescopios más grandes y sofisticadas del mundo, fueron necesarias algunas de las mentes más brillantes en el área de la ciencia y la tecnología. Ahora, el astrónomo holandés Frans Snik y un equipo de esforzados colaboradores han creado un modelo en LEGO® único de toda la plataforma de Paranal, con réplicas de las cuatro Unidades de Telescopio (UT) de 8,2 metros del VLT, los cuatro telescopios auxiliares de 1,8 metros y otros asombrosos detalles [1].

Este impresionante y exclusivo modelo fue entregado a ESO y está en exhibición en la sede de ESO en Garching, Alemania. Cuando el planetario y centro de visitantes ESO Supernova abra sus puertas en la sede de ESO, durante la primavera de 2018, el modelo se mostrará allí.

El modelo de la plataforma de Paranal, a una escala de aproximadamente 1: 150, comprende los telescopios del VLT y las estructuras de sus cúpulas, además de todos los instrumentos utilizados en el VLT real. También posee modelos precisos del VST, VISTA y la Sala de Control. Cada UT de 8,2 metros localizada en la plataforma del VLT consta exactamente de 3.104 partes, y todo el modelo de la plataforma de Paranal requirió más de 25.000 piezas individuales, ¡además de una enorme cantidad de tiempo y paciencia! Los telescopios pueden girar y todas las compuertas y conductos de ventilación de la cúpula se abren y cierran. Los cuatro telescopios auxiliares pueden cambiarse de posición a lo largo de sus rieles, al igual que los verdaderos, y los túneles del VLTI albergan un interferómetro miniatura que funciona y puede producir bandas reales.

Construir un modelo a escala de un telescopio es una excelente manera de entender cómo funcionan los complejos instrumentos astronómicos modernos y cualquier persona con la suficiente motivación (y con alrededor de 5.000 euros disponibles) puede construir su propia versión de estos enormes telescopios. Será un placer para Frans Snik proporcionar las instrucciones necesarias.

Como si eso no fuera suficiente, el Extremely Large Telescope de ESO, el que actualmente está en construcción en las cercanías de Paranal, también puede construirse en LEGO®, a la misma escala que el modelo de Paranal.

Notas

[1] El Observatorio Paranal en LEGO® comenzó su existencia a pequeña escala en 2014, cuando Snik diseñó y construyó su primer modelo en LEGO® del Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) de ESO. Luego, se concibió un modelo construido con LEGO® de las Unidades de Telescopio (UT) de 8,2 metros del VLT.

Enlaces

Contactos

Frans Snik
Observatorio de Leiden, Universidad de Leiden
Leiden, Países Bajos
Tel: +31 71 527 8431
Correo electrónico: snik@strw.leidenuniv.nl

Richard Hook
Encargado de Prensa de ESO
Garching bei München, Alemania
Tel: +49 89 3200 6655
Cel: +49 151 1537 3591 
Correo electrónico: rhook@eso.org

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Identificador:ann17038

Imágenes

The LEGO® model of the Paranal platform is handed over to ESO’s Director General
The LEGO® model of the Paranal platform is handed over to ESO’s Director General
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The finishing touches are made to the LEGO® model of the VLT platform
The finishing touches are made to the LEGO® model of the VLT platform
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A LEGO® interferometer!
A LEGO® interferometer!
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All of the VLT telescopes are now modelled in LEGO®
All of the VLT telescopes are now modelled in LEGO®
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Videos

ESOcast 114 Light: VLT LEGO model (4K UHD)
ESOcast 114 Light: VLT LEGO model (4K UHD)
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Full tour of ESO's Paranal Observatory in miniature
Full tour of ESO's Paranal Observatory in miniature
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LEGO® Interferometer comes together
LEGO® Interferometer comes together
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Building the desert landscape
Building the desert landscape
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Building a base
Building a base
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Constructing the platform
Constructing the platform
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Assembling Paranal
Assembling Paranal
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LEGO® laser guide stars
LEGO® laser guide stars
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Building the VLT
Building the VLT
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Teamwork to build the VLT
Teamwork to build the VLT
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Adjusting a LEGO® Unit Telescope
Adjusting a LEGO® Unit Telescope
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Bright young minds working on Paranal
Bright young minds working on Paranal
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Building Paranal from LEGO®
Building Paranal from LEGO®
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Time-lapse of building Paranal
Time-lapse of building Paranal
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Time-lapse of building Paranal
Time-lapse of building Paranal
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