Europe Building Its Own "Hubble" Telescope

It looks as if our European friends have decided to build their own version of NASA’s Hubble.

(Red Orbit) We believe that the European Extremely Large Telescope is essential if we are to ensure the continued competitiveness of the astronomical community in ESO’s member-states, said Catherine Cesarsky, ESO’s director general.

The ESO said a baseline design is to be presented by the end of this year for a telescope with a primary mirror between about 100 feet to 200 feet in diameter and estimated to cost approximately $944 million.

I wish all the luck to them in this endeavor. Of coarse, nothing thus far has been able to compete with Hubble, although it would be good if another country was able to inspire some friendly competition. After all, it’s getting to be very lonely being the only space power on planet Earth.

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