Mexico readies large microwave telescope

0 Comments | AFP, November, 2006

ATZIZINTLA, Mexico (AFP) — Perched at 4,600 meters (15,000 feet) on a cold, spent volcano, the Large Millimeter Telescope (LMT) will scan microwaves to look into the dawn of the universe, when it begins a two-year testing period on Wednesday. At 2,000 tonnes and 115 million dollars, its 50-meter (164-foot) dish is the result of a joint effort of Mexico's National Institute of Astrophysics, Optics and Electronics (INAOE) and the US University of Massachusetts.

When it goes into scientific operation in 2008 "the LMT will be the largest and most sensitive single-aperture telescope operating at wavelengths of 0.85mm to 4 mm," its ltmgtm.org website announced. "This telescope is capable of observing conditions prevalent when the first stars and galaxies were formed 13,400 billion...