Canada has officially joined the European Southern Observatory's (ESO) Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) project, currently under construction in Chile's Atacama Desert. The ELT, with a 39.3-meter primary mirror, will be the world's largest optical and infrared telescope when it begins operations, expected in 2028.
Canadian astronomers and industry will contribute advanced instrumentation and technology, including the Infrared Multi-Object Spectrograph (IRMOS) and the High-Resolution Spectrograph (HIRES). The partnership, announced in 2025, gives Canadian scientists access to up to 5% of observing time on the ELT.
The ELT aims to study exoplanets, the early universe, dark matter, and dark energy. Its adaptive optics system will correct for atmospheric distortion, producing images sharper than the James Webb Space Telescope.
Canada's investment is part of a broader strategy to maintain leadership in astronomy, following its participation in the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) project, which remains stalled due to site disputes in Hawaii.
