Rendering of M4

This image is a rendering of M4, the main adaptive mirror of the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT). The term “adaptive mirror” means that the mirror's surface can be deformed to correct for atmospheric turbulence, as well as for the fast vibration of the telescope structure induced by its motion and the wind.

The ELT, the world's biggest eye on the sky, will have a pioneering five-mirror optical system that will allow it to unveil the Universe in unprecedented detail.