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South Pole Telescope
Beginning in winter 2006, a group of scientists, technicians, and engineers will build the largest telescope ever deployed at the South Pole. Follow their work in a series of Webcasts that track the team's progress as they piece together the 10-meter-diameter telescope. The South Pole Telescope will be an important part of the International Polar Year activities. Once it's completed in January 2007, the telescope will give astronomers a powerful new tool to explore dark energy, the mysterious force that may be causing the universe to accelerate.


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Featured Webcast: South Pole Telescope, from 12/29/2006
     

Archived Webcasts



South Pole Telescope: Getting There & Starting to Build
Date: 11/25/2006
Running Time: 00:34:45

After years of preparation, scientists from the University of Chicago are making the long journey to the South Pole to begin construction on the new 10-meter telescope. Join us as we talk to scientists at the pole about their long journey, learn about the pre-building of the telescope in Texas last summer; and find out what challenges they face in constructing a major scientific instrument in freezing conditions.

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South Pole Telescope Homepage



South Pole Telescope: A Virtual Tour of the Station
Date: 12/2/2006
Running Time: 00:28:45

South Pole scientists Tom Crawford and Jeff McMahon take us on a virtual tour of the South Pole Station, then discuss working in the polar environment.

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South Pole Telescope Homepage



South Pole Telescope: A Day in South Pole Life
Date: 12/9/2006
Running Time: 00:28:51

Tom Crawford and Jeff McMahon show us a day in the life of a South Pole scientist, then talk about what the telescope will be searching for: dark matter, galaxy clusters, and evidence of the universe expanding.

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South Pole Telescope Homepage



South Pole Telescope: Christmas Edition
Date: 12/29/2006
Running Time: 00:37:45

What's Christmas like at the South Pole? Also learn about the Race Around the World and the installation of the telescope's new receiver.

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South Pole Telescope Homepage



Live From the South Pole: Ice Cube
Date: 1/6/2007
Running Time: 00:35:47

Join us as we talk to South Pole scientists about Ice Cube, a major new telescope being built deep below the surface to detect ghostly neutrino particles. The neutrino telescope will use thousands of detectors spread over a square kilometer of ice below the South Pole to study cosmological mysteries such as black holes, gamma ray bursts, and the remnants of supernova explosions.

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Ice Cube Homepage



The Ice Cube Story
Date: 1/6/2007
Running Time: 00:04:34

Check out this amazing footage of how scientists drop detectors miles into the ice to search for elusive neutrinos.

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Ice Cube Homepage



South Pole Telescope: Nearly Done
Date: 1/13/2007
Running Time: 00:15:00

Mary Miller chats with scientists at the South Pole about the nearly-completed telescope. The satellite connection to the pole deteriorated quickly, and we hope to repeat this program in the near future. Stay tuned for updates!

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South Pole Telescope Homepage



First Light from the New South Pole Telescope
Date: 3/30/2007
Running Time: 00:41:16

The South Pole Telescope captured its first light on Feb. 16, 2007! Join Exploratorium host Mary Miller as she talks with scientists at the South Pole and finds out more about life at the Pole.

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South Pole Telescope Homepage

 

Meet the Scientists

The South Pole Telescope will be pieced together by a team of two dozen scientists, engineers, and technicians in record time.  In a special series of blogs and video updates, direct from the South Pole, three cosmologists from the University of Chicago will take us along on their race to finish the telescope before the harsh Antarctic winter. 


Jeff McMahon Jeff McMahon
The beauty of the universe is just the beginning of what can be learned from those incredible images from space.
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Watch Bio

Tom Crawford Tom Crawford
The universe is an understandable place . . . with a lot of study.
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Watch Bio

Kathryn Miknaitis Kathryn Miknaitis
Decoding how the universe has evolved takes a philosophical approach...and a lot of creativity.
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Watch Bio
 

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