Representation of E-ELT mirror segment

The world's biggest telescope?

The world’s largest optical telescope, the European Extremely Large Telescope, is due to begin operations in 2018. It will consist of 984 hexagonal segments of this size, fitted together to make a mirror 42 metres across – around the length of five London buses. A telescope this big could examine the oldest stars and galaxies, and search for Earth-like planets that might harbour life.