Scientists will have twice as much observing time. And the telescopes can be outfitted with different instruments so that astronomers can simultaneously make different kinds of observations. The astronomers also will be able to operate the two telescopes as one, with the light from each directed toward a common point where the light is then combined using highly sophisticated techniques. In this way, a view of a celestial object can be obtained with a resolution more than tenfold higher than would be possible with either telescope alone. With this powerful method, far finer details of celestial objects will be discernible.
Components come from many different sources during the long process of building a telescope.
For instance, more than 240 tons of steel were shipped from Spain to Chile in 1995 for the enclosure, the auxiliary, and the control buildings. A California engineering company built the mount and mirror cell and will ship them to Chile later this year. The primary mirror was cast and ground at the University of Arizona's Mirror Laboratory and awaits polishing. The first telescope is expected to be operational by mid-1999. The concrete foundations have been laid for the second telescope.