The project to build the planned European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT) will apparently be underway soon, with the Science Technology and Facilities Council (STFC) having recently confirmed its plans to provide a £3.5million funding to British scientists for commencing the development of the key instruments of the telescope.

The E-ELT will be the world’s biggest optical and infrared telescope, with a diameter of 39.3 metres, and will essentially assist the scientist to scan some of the oldest parts of the universe; spot other habitable planets like the Earth; and take photos of stars and planets in far-flung galaxies.

While the designs for the instruments - drawn up by the researchers of Oxford and Durham University researchers – have received the due approval of the officials concerned, the final go-ahead to the commencement of construction of the E-ELT will be made by the European Southern Observatory (ESO) by the end of 2011.

There is, however, no guarantee that the UK scientists who have drawn up the design of the telescope will also be assigned the task of building it. Nonetheless, the site for the E-ELT has been selected --- it will be a 3,060m altitude location at Cerro Armazones in Chile's Atacama Desert.

About the funding that the STFC has confirmed for the telescope instruments, Prof Colin Cunningham – had of the UK E-ELT project team – said that the STFC funds will enable the UK to put itself in the best possible position “to develop key instruments for the E-ELT with its international partners.”