Thirty Meter Telescope

Astronomy's next generation observatory.

Recent News

Public Roundtable: “Quest for a Living World”

03.12.2010

PASADENA, Calif. -- Astronomers have found more than 400 alien worlds orbiting distant stars. So far, nearly all of these exoplanets are bigger than Jupiter and hotter than Mercury – places that appear very unfriendly to life. But astronomers are now starting to identify smaller, more intriguing objects, including potential water worlds and so-called super-Earths. more »

TMT Releases Public Database of its Site Testing Campaign

01.5.2010

PASADENA, Calif. — The Thirty Meter Telescope Project (TMT) is launching a new database containing five years of atmospheric data from the telescope’s initial five candidates sites: Cerro Tolar, Cerro Armazones, and Cerro Tolonchar, Chile; San Pedro Martir, Mexico; and Mauna Kea, Hawaii, the site selected for TMT. more »

New Video Showcases Excitement and Promise of TMT

12.8.2009

PASADENA, Calif — The search for Earth-like planets, the nature and distribution of dark matter, and the quest to image the first stars and galaxies are just some of the science challenges that will be addressed by the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT). more »

China Joins Thirty Meter Telescope Project

11.17.2009

PASADENA, Calif. — The National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NAOC) has joined the Thirty Meter Telescope Project (TMT). As an Observer, China will participate in planning the development of what will be the world's most advanced and capable astronomical observatory. more »

TMT On the Air with Are We Alone?

09.14.2009

The Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) is partnering with the SETI Institute's radio/podcast program Are We Alone? by underwriting a series of astronomy-related segments during the year. Learn more and listen on our Podcasts page. more »

Thirty Meter Telescope Selects Mauna Kea

07.21.2009

PASADENA, Calif. — After careful evaluation and comparison between two outstanding candidate sites—Mauna Kea in Hawai‘i and Cerro Armazones in Chile—the board of directors of the TMT Observatory Corporation has selected Mauna Kea as the preferred site for the Thirty Meter Telescope. The TMT will be the most capable and advanced telescope ever constructed. more »