The European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT)

Abstract

In the March 2006 Messenger the path towards a basic reference design for a European Extremely Large telescope was presented. The plan involved extensive community consultation through five working groups, established by the Director General of ESO, on the topics of science, site, adaptive optics, instrumentation and telescope. The conclusions of the ELT Scientific and Engineering (ESE) Working Group panels were combined into a toolbox which was used as a guide by the ESO ELT Project Office towards determining a Basic Reference Design to be presented to the community and the committees of ESO. The basic premise underlying these activities is the strategic resolution of the ESO Council that requires that the organisation develop a facility that will address the exciting science awaiting us in the coming decade and will be competitive in timescale and performance with similar facilities planned elsewhere.