Photo: W.M. Keck Observatory

Caption: From a remote outpost on the summit of Hawaii's dormant Mauna Kea volcano, astronomers at the W.M. Keck Observatory probe the deepest regions of the Universe with unprecedented power and precision.

Their instruments are the twin Keck Telescopes, the world's largest optical and infrared telescopes. Each stands eight stories tall and weighs 300 tons, yet operates with nanometer precision. At the heart of each Keck Telescope is a revolutionary primary mirror. Ten meters in diameter, the mirror is composed of 36 hexagonal segments that work in concert as a single piece of reflective glass.

Source: John McDonald, CFHT, University of Hawaii Telescope

Website: http://www.cfht.hawaii.edu/

NSF Funded: yes

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