International Liquid Mirror Telescope
{{Short description|Astronomical telescope in chapra, India}}
The International Liquid Mirror Telescope is a 4-meter telescope located inside the premises of Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) in the city of Nainital, Uttarakhand, India. It is the first liquid-mirror telescope for astronomy in Asia and the largest liquid-mirror telescope of the world.{{cite news |last=Waldek |first=Stefanie |date=2022-06-21|title=World's largest liquid mirror telescope ready to observe |work=Space.com |url=https://www.space.com/largest-liquid-mirror-telescope-opens-india|access-date=2022-06-21 }}
History
On 2 June 2022, the telescope saw its first light.{{Cite news |last=Desikan |first=Shubashree |date=2022-06-02 |title=Liquid mirror telescope in Devasthal sees first lig/sci-tech/science/liquid-mirror-telescope-in-devasthal-sees-first-light/article65487650.ece |issn=0971-751X}} On 12 June 2022, it came online.{{Cite web |last=Williams |first=Matt |date=2022-06-12 |title=The World's Largest Liquid-Mirror Telescope Comes Online |url=https://www.universetoday.com/156246/the-worlds-largest-liquid-mirror-telescope-comes-online/ |access-date=2023-03-24 |website=Universe Today |language=en-US}} On 21 June 2022, it became ready to observe.{{Cite web |last=Waldek |first=Stefanie |date=2022-06-21 |title=World's largest liquid mirror telescope ready to observe |url=https://www.space.com/largest-liquid-mirror-telescope-opens-india |access-date=2023-03-24 |website=Space.com |language=en}} On 21 March 2023, it was inaugurated by Jitendra Singh.{{Cite web |last=Madanapalle |first=Aditya |date=2023-03-21 |title=Four-metre International Liquid Mirror Telescope in Himalayas inaugurated |url=https://www.news9live.com/science/four-metre-international-liquid-mirror-telescope-in-the-himalayas-inaugrated-au941-2081893 |access-date=2023-03-24 |website=News9Live |language=en-US}}
Mechanism
The telescope uses elemental mercury as its mirror surface.{{Cite web |last=Dixit |first=Mrigakshi |title=Unique liquid-mirror telescope set to survey zenith in India |url=https://astronomy.com/news/2022/08/unique-liquid-mirror-telescope-set-to-survey-zenith-from-india |access-date=2023-03-24 |website=Astronomy Magazine |date=11 August 2022 |language=en}} The mercury is rotated about the axis of the telescope, and due to centrifugal force, takes a parabolic shape to focus incoming light.{{Cite web |last=Hazra |first=Dipavali |date=2022-06-04 |title=India commissions its first liquid mirror telescope: How will it work? |url=https://www.timesnownews.com/explainer/india-commissions-its-first-liquid-mirror-telescope-how-will-it-work-article-92007062 |access-date=2023-03-24 |website=Times Now |language=en}}