James Clerk Maxwell Telescope

The James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) is a 15-metre submillimetre-wavelength telescope at Mauna Kea Observatory in Hawaii. It is the largest astronomical telescope in the world designed specifically to operate in the submillimetre regime (between the far-infrared and the microwave regions of the electromagnetic spectrum). It is used to study our Solar System, interstellar dust and gas, and distant galaxies.

Related Topics:
Mauna Kea Observatory - Hawaii - Submillimetre - Far-infrared - Microwave - Electromagnetic spectrum - Solar System - Galaxies

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The JCMT is funded by a partnership between the United Kingdom, Canada, and the Netherlands. It is operated by the Joint Astronomy Centre and was named in honour of James Clerk Maxwell. It is located near the summit of Mauna Kea at an altitude of 4092 meters as part of the Mauna Kea Observatory. The JCMT has the largest telescope mirror on Mauna Kea.

Related Topics:
Joint Astronomy Centre - James Clerk Maxwell - Mauna Kea Observatory

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This telescope was combined with the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory to form the first submillimeter interferometer. The success of this experiment was important in pushing ahead the construction of the Submillimeter Array and the Atacama Large Millimeter Array interferometers.

Related Topics:
Caltech Submillimeter Observatory - Interferometer - Submillimeter Array - Atacama Large Millimeter Array

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