FAQ Survey Telescopes A: VISTA is the largest telescope in the
world dedicated to surveying the sky at near-infrared
wavelengths. Its primary mirror is 4.1 metres in diameter and is
the most highly curved of its size. The extremely high curvature
reduces the focal length, and significantly widens the field of
view, enabling VISTA to map large areas of the sky. At the same
time, the large collecting surface allows VISTA to detect faint
objects, seeing deep into space. Manufacturing a single mirror
of this size and characteristics is a formidable accomplishment.
A: By mapping large areas of the sky, the survey telescopes will
create vast archives of images and catalogues of objects, also
providing interesting targets to be studied in more detail by
the VLT. With their 67- and 268-megapixel cameras, VISTA and VST
will produce far more data every night than all the other
instruments on the VLT combined.