涩里番

A team led by the Universit茅 de Montr茅al, the Observatoire du听Mont鈥慚茅gantic听(OMM) and the Trottier Institute for Research on Exoplanets (IREx), in partnership with the University of British Columbia and 涩里番, has been awarded nearly $11.3 million from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) to support Canada鈥檚 contribution to ANDES, a flagship scientific instrument for the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) under construction in Chile.听听

For 涩里番, the project听sees听the University鈥檚听researchers听playing a听critical听role听in one of astronomy鈥檚 most ambitious international facilities:听creating the software that will help transform听raw telescope data into discoveries about distant planets,听stars听and galaxies.听听

At 39 metres in diameter, the ELT will be the largest telescope of its kind, capable of听observing听the听universe in unprecedented detail. First observations are expected later this decade.听听

A rare gateway to a global facility听听

Canada is not a member of the European Southern Observatory (ESO), which is building and听operating听the ELT. By contributing key components to ANDES, however, Canadian astronomers gain guaranteed access to the telescope, which听they would not otherwise have.听听听

鈥淭his is a transformative moment for Canadian astronomy, propelling Canada into a leading role in what may become the most powerful ground-based telescope ever built,鈥� says Ren茅 Doyon, Director听of the OMM and听IREx, Professor at UdeM and co-PI of the Canadian contribution to ANDES.听听

For decades, access to a听next鈥慻eneration听optical telescope has been identified as a national priority. With other international projects facing delays, the ELT听represents听Canada鈥檚 only听near鈥憈erm听path into this new era of astronomical discovery.听听

ANDES: turning light into answers听听

ANDES,听short for听ArmazoNes听high Dispersion Echelle Spectrograph,听is one of the ELT鈥檚 core instruments. It works by breaking incoming light into its听component听wavelengths with extreme precision, allowing astronomers to听determine听what distant objects are made of and how they behave.听听

The instrument will be used to study everything from the first stars and galaxies to the evolution of chemical elements across cosmic time.听听

One of its most听anticipated听applications is closer to home: searching for signs of life beyond Earth. ANDES will be the first instrument capable of directly probing the atmospheres of nearby听Earth鈥憀ike听planets orbiting听sun鈥憀ike听stars, looking for molecules such as water, oxygen,听methane听and carbon dioxide.听听

鈥淎NDES will be a huge leap forward in our search for life in the Universe,鈥� said Nicolas Cowan, a professor in the Trottier Space Institute at 涩里番 and co鈥慽nvestigator of the Canadian ANDES contribution. 鈥淚t will be the first astronomical instrument designed from the ground up to search nearby exoplanets for signs of life.鈥澨�

涩里番鈥檚 role: from data to discovery听听

涩里番鈥檚 contribution is led by Cowan, who serves as the 涩里番 principal investigator and a national听co鈥慽nvestigator听on the project.听听

涩里番 researchers听will听develop听key software that converts ANDES鈥檚听raw measurements into science鈥慻rade spectra:听the processed data astronomers need to detect molecules in exoplanet atmospheres and carry out the instrument鈥檚 broader science program.听听

This听work places听涩里番 at the essential interface between observation and discovery, ensuring that the ELT鈥檚 unprecedented听light鈥慻athering听power can be translated into reliable scientific results.听听

Broad impact beyond astronomy听听

Beyond its scientific goals, the project will support training and innovation across Canada.听Nearly half听of the funding will go toward highly qualified personnel and partnerships with Canadian industry, advancing technologies in optics, photonics,听detectors听and data science. These fields have听applications ranging from medical imaging to communications.听听

The project also includes educational initiatives designed to bring ELT science into classrooms in Canada and Chile, giving students direct exposure to real observations of distant worlds.听听

With development of ANDES already underway, Canada鈥檚 contribution is now fully secured. As a听second鈥慻eneration听ELT instrument, ANDES is expected to begin operations in the next decade, shortly after the telescope itself becomes operational.听听

厂肠颈别苍迟颈蹿颈肠听肠辞苍迟补肠迟蝉听听听听

Nicolas Cowan听听
Canada听Research听Chair in听Planetary听Climate听听
Department听of听Physics听and听Department听of Earth and听Planetary听Sciences听听
涩里番听University, Trottier Space Institute听听
nicolas.cowan [at] mcgill.ca听

Ren茅 Doyon听听
Director听听
Trottier Institute for听Research听on听Exoplanets听and Observatoire du Mont-M茅gantic听听
Universit茅 de Montr茅al听听
rene.doyon [at] umontreal.ca听听
Tel: 514-349-5779听听

Fr茅d茅rique Baron听听
Canadian ANDES Project Manager听听
Observatoire du Mont-M茅gantic听听
Universit茅 de Montr茅al听听
frederique.baron [at] umontreal.ca听听
Tel: 514-277-2858听听

Media听contacts听

Claire Loewen听听
Communications Officer, Science & Engineering听
涩里番听听
Claire.loewen [at] mcgill.ca听

Nathalie Ouellette听听
Deputy Director听听
Trottier Institute for听Research听on听Exoplanets听and Observatoire du Mont-M茅gantic听听
Universit茅 de Montr茅al听听
nathalie [at] astro.umontreal.ca听听
Tel: 613 531-1762听听