The biggest telescope in Eurasia, which is called BTA-6. It was built during Soviet times, in the Caucasian mountains. Conceived in the 1950s by Soviet scientists who wanted to peek deeper into space, it’s still active and now is used by Russian scientists
The ridge on this valley where the telescope stands is 2100 meters above sea level.
So here is the telescope. The size of its main mirror is six meters. The thing on the left is the construction crane which was used while constructing the dome.
The height of the dome is 50 meters and its made of aluminum.
Diameter is 45 meters and it can rotate.
It took three years for the mirror to be manufactured!
The stairway leads to the telescope.
it can rotate smoothly on its platform. This is the mirror part.
Light from the mirror gets into this device on top.
This is the door in the dome which can be opened.
So now it is opened.
When the door is open there is an access to the ladders that lead on the top of the dome.
And now the culmination moment – the iris doors of the mirror are slowly opening.
And revealing the huge mirror inside.
After seeing the telescope Timur went down to see what are the motors that make it work and rotate.
The telescope is supported with liquid supports some of them also use springs for added stability and smoothness.
And here are the motors one floor down.
If to go further down there is a shaft and bearings.
The foundation of the building is separated from the foundation of the telescope so that to avoid unnecessary vibrations.
Till 1975 for eighteen years this telescope was the largest telescope in the world until an American telescope became even bigger. Still this one is very impressive!
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