TMT Goes to Hawai'i

It was announced yesterday that the Thirty Meter Telescope's board of directors has selected Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawai'i as the site for the project.

Rendering of the TMT from Todd Mason Graphics

When completed in 2018 the TMT will have a primary mirror made up of 492 segments that will gather 36 times more light than Palomar's Hale Telescope.

I have not heard when the project is expected to begin construction, but they still need to obtain a Conservation District Use Permit from the Hawaiian Department of Land and Natural Resources.