Construction Of Large Synoptic Survey Telescope Begins In Chile

Northern Chile has become the setting for a groundbreaking milestone in astronomy as the construction of a $390 million dollar telescope takes place in Cerro Pachón. Called the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, or LSST, the telescope began construction in April 14 after years of work and research.

The telescope is expected to deliver revolutionary discoveries and present unlimited information about near and distant galaxies, asteroid activity, and answer questions that used to lie on the mysteries of the universe. Now, the human race is presented with a tool that serves as the gateway to a spectrum of knowledge to further nourish our understanding of the vastness right outside our atmosphere.

The project is a collaboration between the U.S. National Science Foundation, or NSF, U.S. Department of Energy, or DOE, Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Chile’s National Commission for Scientific and Technological Research, or CONICYT, along with other international public and private partners. These groups gathered for the stone-laying ceremony, a Chilean tradition that marked the beginning of the construction.

Once the construction is done, the LSST will be an 8-meter wide-field survey telescope capable of imaging the entire visible sky several times each week for a total of 10 years. It will provide a remarkable amount of information as it transforms the disciplines of data-enabled science.

The LSST is expected to record its first images in 2019, with full operations slated to begin in 2022. Northern Chile, particularly the Atacama region, is known to have the clearest skies in the world, making it an astronomy capital where scientists and researchers from all over the world flock together.

The telescope will be equipped with a state-of-the-art 3-billion pixel digital camera, which is also known to be the world’s largest digital camera. The LSST is expected to observe objects in outer space as they move and change, as well as provide insight into transient events like the orbital parts of hazardous asteroids and astronomical explosions.

The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, or AURA, will develop the site and the telescope, along with caring for its management system and the coordination of education applications. Diane Souvaine, the vice provost for research of Tufts University and former chairman of the National Science Board, or NSB, said that the LSST is not just another telescope.

“What makes LSST so exciting is a data set that will be immediately available to scientists and the general public. Tens of thousands of transient events each night will be available to the entire world, reaching social networks, citizen scientists, and students everywhere,” said Souvaine in a post by Info Zine.

The telescope will take hundreds of panoramic images of the sky every night once it begins operations, allowing researchers to collect detailed maps of our solar system and the Milky Way, as well as the charting of uncountable remote galaxies. The telescope will also serve as a tool to probe the imprints of dark matter and dark energy to provide answers and explanations on the evolution of the universe.

Northern Chile is indeed becoming the setting for many milestones. The Atacama Region is also known for its rich mineral deposits, and it continues to provide the world with quality materials through the developing mines around the area. White Mountain Titanium (OTCQB: WMTM), a company in Cerro Blanco, is expected to produce 112 million tons of high-grade rutile that will end up in the hands of titanium manufacturers around the world. Once production in White Mountain’s deposit begins, Chile will most likely be one of the leading sources of titanium in the world.

Titanium is now being used to create fuel engines for space ships, making astronomy and mining interconnected in search for universal answers.

To contact the writer, email: v.hernandez@ibtimes.com.au