Wednesday 6th November 2024
Difficulty: Medium

The Very Large Telescope (Quiz #719)

The four 8.2-metre Unit Telescopes of the Very Large Telescope, four 1.8-metre Auxiliary Telescopes and the VLT Survey Telescope (VST). Photo: ESO (Creative Commons)

The Very Large Telescope (VLT) is an astronomical facility located in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile. It consists of four individual telescopes, each equipped with a primary mirror that measures 8.2 metres in diameter.

1. The mirrors of the Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile are 8.2m in diameter, and are coated with a reflective layer of aluminium. How thick is the aluminium layer?

A. 80 millimetres

B. 80 micrometres

C. 80 nanometres

2. The mirrors of the VLT are cleaned every 18 months. How are they cleaned?

A. The mirrors are cleaned with a "sponge on a pole" apparatus similar to that used by window cleaners

B. The mirrors are removed, placed in a soap bath, and allowed to soak for 24 hours, before they are drip dried and replaced

C. The aluminium reflective layer is completely removed by "chemical cleaning", and the mirrors are recoated

3. The VLT can take very detailed pictures of the Moon's surface. What are the smallest details that can be seen in its photographs of the Apollo landing sites?

A. The US flags (roughly 1 metre across)

B. The bases of the Lunar Modules (roughly 10 metres across)

C. Nearby craters (roughly 100 metres across)

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