New Twin 6.5-Meter Telescopes Poised to Explore Universe

UA News December 2000 | Washington, D.C. -- More than 300 people are traveling thousands of miles to a remote mountaintop in Chile for the dedication of two of the most powerful survey instruments ever built: the Baade and the Clay 6.5-meter reflecting telescopes. The Carnegie Institution built the twin telescopes at its Las Campanas Observatory for the Magellan Consortium. Each telescope has a main mirror that measures over 21 feet in diameter with a parabolic surface polished to better than one millionth of an inch accuracy.  more