Keck: The Largest Optical Telescope
			
		
		
		
			In buildings eight stories tall rest mirrors ten meters across that are
slowly allowing humanity to map the universe.  Alone, each is the 
world's
largest optical telescope: 
Keck. 
Together, the twin Keck telescopes have the
resolving power of a single telescope 90-meter in diameter, able to discern
sources just milliarcseconds 
apart.  Since 
opening in 1992, the real power of Keck I (left) has been in its 
enormous 
light-gathering ability - allowing 
astronomers to 
study faint and 
distant objects in 
our Galaxy and
the universe. 
Keck II, 
completed earlier this year, and its twin are located on the dormant volcano 
Mauna 
Kea, 
Hawaii, 
USA. In the distance is Maui's volcano Haleakala. One reason Keck was built was because of the
difficultly for astronomers to get funding for a smaller telescope.