Design brief for the new CTAO telescope array appears to be "make them look like implausible props from a sci-fi movie" and I am in love

[lpbkdotnet@mstdn.social]

@jonty I really want a model of it as a desk ornament

I guess it's time to find a deal on ~200 laser diodes, some mirror tiles, and give the 3d printer a bit of a workout

[jtruk@mastodon.social]

@jonty Enhance.
I think I can see @gsuberland in the DJ booth bang centre of that dish?

[thechaoszone@chaos.social]

@jonty NullSector-core

[bencc@morehammer.uk]

@jonty hmm, some of them are square mirrors? That’s disappointing.

[mexicals@mastodon.social]

@bencc @jonty squares are not the bestagons

[bencc@morehammer.uk]

@Mexicals @jonty Indeed not. I feel like their paper model PDF needs a proper version too: https://www.ctao.org/wp-content/uploads/LST_Paper_Model_Sept2025.pdf

[boxly@hachyderm.io]

@lpbkdotnet @jonty I was planning to make a slightly smaller and cost optimised version of this for EMF next time https://petrvacek.com/portfolio/fluidum/

[bencc@morehammer.uk]

@Mexicals @jonty It doesn't look like there's any square mirrors, so I wonder if this was from pre-mirror testing.

[queekusme@mastodon.scot]

@jonty someone needs to do this as an installation for EMFCamp28, this is cool as fuck!

[lpbkdotnet@mstdn.social]

@boxly @jonty that would be amazing!

Also, serious death-ray potential if it's as sunny as it was this year

[boxly@hachyderm.io]

@lpbkdotnet @jonty I'm not sure if that is something to mitigate or take advantage of

[lpbkdotnet@mstdn.social]

@boxly @jonty "yes!"

[unnick@booping.synth.download]

@lpbkdotnet@mstdn.social @jonty@chaos.social i think you could make do with just 1 laser by using diffraction gratings to split it

[whitequark@social.treehouse.systems]

@jonty long exposure shot right

[gsuberland@chaos.social]

@jtruk @jonty haaa

[blake@corteximplant.com]

@jonty Oh hell yea!

[nflux@gts.exile.social]

@jonty serious Death-Star vibes, but very cool!

[jonty@chaos.social]

@whitequark According to the description it was just a really foggy night!

[boxly@hachyderm.io]

@queekusme @jonty on it

[queekusme@mastodon.scot]

@boxly @jonty 🥳