The center of a large telescope picture of the day for Feb. 9, 2026

Atop the mountain Cerro Armazones in Chile, development is underway on the Extraordinarily Massive Telescope (ELT), which is able to usher in a brand new period of astronomy when it is accomplished. The ELT would be the world’s largest telescope, with a main mirror that measures 128 toes (39 meters) throughout.

Astronomy relies upon as a lot on location because it does on know-how. To watch the faintest and most distant objects in the universe, telescopes want darkish, dry and steady skies, situations which might be more and more uncommon on Earth. Mountains within the Chilean Atacama Desert, like Cerro Armazones, provide an virtually excellent pure laboratory. Located at excessive altitude, removed from cities, and in one of many driest locations on the planet, they supply exceptionally clear nights with minimal atmospheric disturbance.