The Thirty Meter Telescope: Progress and Prospects

The Thirty Meter Telescope is a path-breaking optical and infrared telescope being built by an international partnership (TIO) whose members include Caltech, the University of California, and National Observatories in Japan, Canada, and India. In this talk, I will describe the telescope design, the suite of first-light instruments, and the multi conjugate adaptive optics system that will lead to diffraction-limited performance for imaging and spectroscopy.

I will report on the current status of design and construction work and sketch some of the frontier scientific programs this powerful instrument will enable ranging from searching for signs of life on planets around neighboring stars, to studying black holes in the Milky Way and other galaxies, to learning more about the dark matter and dark energy that shape the Universe and determine its fate.

The preferred site for the TMT is Maunakea in Hawai’i, with an alternate site at La Palma in the Canary Islands. TMT is committed to a community model of astronomy based on the values of respect, inclusion, and mutual stewardship. That means conducting scientific research that respects local culture and tradition, especially this of Native Hawaiians, many of whom consider Maunakea sacred. It means insuring that everyone in Hawai’i shares the benefits of astronomical exploration. And it means working together to build a better future for the next generation.

TMT is part of the US Extremely Large Telescope Program (US-ELTP), a joint endeavor with NSF’s NOIRLab and the organization building the Giant Magellan Telescope. The TMT International Observatory gratefully acknowledges the support of the the TIO Members, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and the U.S. National Science Foundation.