This computer design reveals how MAVIS will look on the instrument platform of VLT Unit Telescope 4 (Yepun) at ESOs Paranal Observatory. The boxes indicate the numerous submodules of the instrument. Credit: Macquarie University
Australian scientists will help construct one of the worlds most powerful ground-based telescopes that promises to see additional and clearer than the Hubble Space Telescope and unlock secrets of the early Universe.
The group will establish a new, world-first instrument that will produce images three times sharper than Hubble under the multimillion-dollar project.
The MAVIS instrument will be fitted to among the eight-meter Unit Telescopes at the European Southern Observatorys (ESOs) Very Large Telescope in Chile, to eliminate blurring from telescope images triggered by turbulence in Earths environment. MAVIS will be constructed over seven years at an expense of $57 million.

MAVIS stands for MCAO Assisted Visible Imager and Spectrograph. MCAO means Multi-Conjugate Adaptive Optics.
The MAVIS consortium is led by The Australian National University (ANU), and involves Macquarie University, Italys National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF), and Frances Laboratoire dAstrophysique (LAM).
MAVIS Principal Investigator Professor François Rigaut, from the ANU Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics, said atmospheric turbulence resembles the phenomenon of objects appearing fuzzy on the horizon during a hot day.
” MAVIS will remove this blurring and provide images as sharp as if the telescope remained in area, helping us to peer back into the early Universe by pushing the cosmic frontier of what is visible,” he stated.
” The ability to deliver corrected optical images, over a wide field of vision utilizing one of the worlds largest telescope, is what makes MAVIS a first-of-its kind instrument, and suggests we will be able to observe really faint, far-off things.
” We will have the ability to use the new innovation to explore how the first stars formed 13 billion years earlier, as well as how weather modifications on planets and moons in our Solar System.”
Partner Professor Richard McDermid, the MAVIS job researcher based at Macquarie University, stated the job represents a significant milestone for Australias growing relationship with ESO, and the nations area research and work.
” MAVIS demonstrates that Australia can not only take part in the scientific life of the observatory, however can likewise be a core player in assisting ESO preserve its leadership by establishing distinct and competitive instruments utilizing Australian proficiency,” he said.
Teacher Matthew Colless, Director of the ANU Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics, stated the coming decade represents an extremely amazing time for astronomy.
” ESO and Australia went into a 10-year strategic partnership in 2017, a collaboration that the Australian astronomy community has actually accepted with enthusiasm,” he stated.
” In return for building MAVIS, the consortium will get ensured observing time with the instrument, along with a monetary contribution from ESO for its hardware.
” From area, with the likes of the James Webb Space Telescope, and with ground-based facilities such as ESOs Extremely Large Telescope, astronomers will check out deep space in more depth than ever.
” By providing the sharpest view possible utilizing noticeable light, MAVIS will be a unique and effective complement to these future big centers, which target infrared wavelengths.”
[Editors Note 7/4/2021: The article was upgraded to discuss what the MAVIS acronym means.]

This computer design reveals how MAVIS will look on the instrument platform of VLT Unit Telescope 4 (Yepun) at ESOs Paranal Observatory. The boxes suggest the numerous submodules of the instrument. Credit: Macquarie University
Editors Note 7/4/2021: The article was upgraded to discuss what the MAVIS acronym stands for.