Building the Giant Magellan Telescope with Dr. Rebecca Bernstein and Dr. Jim Fanson

Building the Giant Magellan Telescope with Dr. Rebecca Bernstein and Dr. Jim Fanson

Author: John Michael Godier April 12, 2026 Duration: 37:21

The Giant Magellan Telescope will be a member of the next generation of extremely large ground-based telescopes that promises to revolutionize our view and understanding of the universe. It will be constructed in the Las Campanas Observatory in Chile. Commissioning of the telescope is scheduled to begin in 2029.The GMT has a unique design that offers several advantages. It is a segmented mirror telescope that employs seven of today’s largest stiff monolith mirrors as segments. Six off-axis 8.4 meter or 27-foot segments surround a central on-axis segment, forming a single optical surface 24.5 meters, or 80 feet, in diameter with a total collecting area of 368 square meters. The GMT will have a resolving power 10 times greater than the Hubble Space Telescope. The GMT project is the work of a distinguished international consortium of leading universities and science institutions.Link:www.GMTO.orgTwitter: @GMTelescopeWant to support the channel?Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/EventHorizonShowFollow us at other places!Website: https://www.eventhorizonshow.com/Twitter: https://twitter.com/jmgeventhorizonInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jmgeventhorizon/Music featured on Event Horizonhttps://stellardrone.bandcamp.com/https://migueljohnson.bandcamp.com/https://leerosevere.bandcamp.com/https://aeriumambient.bandcamp.com/FOOTAGE:Giant Magellan Telescope – GMTO CorporationNASAESA/HubbleESO - M.KornmesserESO - L.CalcadaESO - Jose Francisco Salgado (josefrancisco.org)NAOJUniversity of WarwickGoddard Visualization StudioLangley Research CenterPixabay


Curiosity about the cosmos often starts with a simple question, and that's where John Michael Godier's Event Horizon finds its rhythm. Hosted by author and futurist John Michael Godier, this podcast delves into the profound and the perplexing at the edges of our understanding. Each episode builds a narrative, weaving together discussions on astronomy, astrophysics, and the latest space science news with broader themes of technology, history, and futurism. The conversations are grounded by special guests who bring expertise and diverse perspectives, turning complex ideas into engaging explorations. You'll find the dialogue moves from the concrete details of scientific discovery to the speculative implications for our future, all with a thoughtful and accessible tone. This isn't just a recap of headlines; it's a deep dive into the context and consequences of what we're learning about the universe. For anyone who looks up at the night sky and wonders about black holes, the potential for life elsewhere, or where our technology might take us next, this podcast offers a compelling space to linger on those big ideas. The production emphasizes clarity and depth, making even the most daunting topics feel within reach. Tune in for a regular journey to the frontiers of science and human thought.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

John Michael Godier's Event Horizon
Podcast Episodes
Fusion and Magnetic Reconnection Propulsion with Dr. Fatima Ebrahimi [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:54
To get your free 30 day trial visit https://www.audible.com/eventhorizon or text EventHorizon to 500-500.A new type of rocket thruster that could take humankind to Mars and beyond has been proposed by Fatima Ebrahimi a p…
Does Venus Have Life? With Dr. Janusz Petkowski [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:49
Is There Life on Venus?Last week a team from MIT and Cardiff University announced the detection of Phosphine in the atmosphere at Venus our nearest neighbor. Phosphine (PH3) gas in Venus’s atmosphere should be in oxidize…
BLC1 the Proxima Centauri SETI Candidate with Jason Wright [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:48
BLC1 is a candidate SETI radio signal found by the Breakthrough Listen project, the signal is possibly coming from the star Proxima Centauri and has a frequency of 982.002 MHz.Jason Wright is a professor of Astronomy and…
Aliens are Hard to Find with Prof. Sara Seager [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:39
Sara Seager is the Professor of Planetary Science, Professor of Physics, and Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her past research is credited with laying the foundatio…