"World's Largest Telescope Takes Shape Amidst the Milky Way"

Newly released images show that the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) is now halfway complete. The ELT, located in Chile's Atacama Desert, will have a 128-foot wide primary mirror, making it the largest ground-based telescope in the world. Construction has been ongoing since 2014, and the telescope is expected to be fully assembled by 2028. The ELT's mirrors and other components are being built in Europe, and its science instruments and support infrastructure are also in development. The completion of the ELT is a significant milestone for the European Southern Observatory.