Great News for Australian Astronomy!!
The Rudd Government Science and Research Minister Kim Carr announced Australia will be buying into the 24.8 metre
Giant Magellan Telescope consortium to the tune of $88 million dollars. This is after little Johnny Howard decided we weren't going to participate in 2007 - much to the chagrin and the disgust of the whole astronomical community and many others associated with the project. (See SMH article by Mark Davis "
Australia keeps space dream alive with huge telescope investment"
http://www.smh.com.au/national/austr...0719-dpl0.html )
This will be among the next generation of telescopes, and will be placed in Chile. It is expected, according to GMT Site; "
The GMT will produce images up to 10 times sharper than the Hubble Space Telescope."
Here the real pressure on Government from many astronomical groups has sparked the return to the project - save pride for our Nation. Australian astronomy and the estimated creation of 240 related jobs - many more professional astronomy to the mix.
Can't wait to see the results from this large telescope in the next decade (2018) !
Brilliant !!
See ANU page site;
http://www.mso.anu.edu.au/gmt/
The Main Consortium Site is;
http://www.gmto.org/
Giant Magellan Telescope : We Are In It!
