4-meter Multi-Object Spectroscopic Telescope (4MOST)

"Commissioning has been a really intense and fun experience so far. This new team based model of commissioning telescopes is a fantastic opportunity for young researchers like me and I’m loving every moment of it." - Sam Philipsborn

A view of mountains at Paranal, with the 4MOST facility visible on one of the peaks.

Sam Philipsborn standing next to the 4MOST sign at the VISTA telescope.

Commissioning is well underway at 4MOST! Sam Philipsborn, a PhD student from the University of Sussex, is one of the team members working tirelessly to ensure that 4MOST is performing as expected.

Image Credit: S. Philipsborn

#4MOST #astronomy #astrophysics #telescope #observatory

YouTube video by Chris Pattison The Telescope That Sees 18,000 Colours

Check out this amazing video from Chris Pattison (@cosmochris.bsky.social) describing 4MOST and our First Light observations!

#4MOST #astronomy #astrophysics #telescope #observatory

A group photo of the 4MOST Commissioning Team

Meet the team commissioning 4MOST!

Over the next two months, they’ll observe thousands of targets to study how the instrument performs and ensure it meets expectations ahead of full science operations.

#4MOST #astronomy #astrophysics #telescope #observatory

With three spectrographs, and a hexagonal field-of-view of 4.2 square degrees, 4MOST will gather spectra of over 20 million stars and galaxies during its first five years of surveys.

4MOST in motion!

Mounted on ESO’s VISTA telescope in Chile, this wide-field, fibre-fed spectroscopic facility can observe over 2000 targets at once, capturing their light and splitting it into spectra for analysis.

Video: AIP/A. Saviauk
Audio: LofCosmos

#4MOST #astronomy #astrophysics

Portsmouth and Southampton scientists help secure the first capture of light in all its colours from cosmic objects

Congratulations to @4most-eu.bsky.social
which has achieved First Light, splitting the light into 18,000 spellbinding colour components. 🎉 Read more about this multi-tasking telescope, which will collect the largest ever spectroscopic sample of supernovae. 🔭
tinyurl.com/2wnw86zd

4MOST will capture thousands of these spectra at once, helping us map the structure and evolution of the Universe!

Each peak and dip reveals what elements are present, how fast the object is moving, and how far away it lies. In this example spectrum of an active galactic nucleus (AGN, the region around a massive black hole) you can see strong emission lines from magnesium (Mg), oxygen (O), and hydrogen (Hγ, Hβ).

A spectrum of an active galactic nucleus showing peaks for Mg, O, and H emission lines. The x-axis is wavelength, and the y-axis is intensity.

When light from a star or galaxy enters one of 4MOST’s 2400 fibres, it is split into its colours and dispersed across the detectors, creating a spectrum, a detailed record of brightness versus wavelength.

Credit: AIP/R. de Jong, CRAL/J.-K. Krogager

#4MOST #astronomy #astrophysics

We’re so lucky to have such an incredible team, and we can’t wait to share our exploration of the Universe with you, 2400 spectra at a time!

Pictured here are just a portion of the 4MOST collaboration, an international group of astronomers and engineers responsible for 4MOST’s design, construction, and the upcoming research being conducted by our Consortium and Community surveys.

A mosaic of hexagonal pictures of 4MOST team members, laid over an image of the 4MOST focal plane.

Meet the team!

Image Credit: M. Gammel

#4MOST #astronomy #astrophysics

The VISTA 4MOST, a large, intricate astronomical device, housed inside an industrial facility. The structure features a prominent circular component with visible wiring and metal framework, supported by a sturdy blue frame with stairs and a raised platform for access.

The VISTA mountain top observatory stands on rocky terrain under a clear night sky, with the Milky Way stretching across and a bright planet shining above.

Revolutionary new space telescope @4most-eu.bsky.social has captured its first data from the universe.

Our scientists are part of the team behind the super-scope and say it’ll reveal how galaxies and black holes formed.

Read more 👉 tr.ee/ba4NEs

"We cannot exactly predict what breakthroughs 4MOST will bring, but I really look forward to all the excitement of getting our hands on the data. Let’s get ready for the next fifteen years!"

"A project like this is only possible by the dedication, determination, and strong collaboration of many people, bringing their diverse knowledge and mentality."

"Little did those photons know that they would one day meet the fibres of 4MOST, forming the spectra of our First Light."

"Fifteen years ago, a bunch of photons began their journey to Earth. At the same time, a team from institutes across the globe were aligning to build a next-generation multi-object spectrograph."

A picture of the 4MOST PI, Roelof de Jong.

Our PI, Roelof de Jong, reflects on 15 years of dedication, collaboration, and discovery leading to 4MOST First Light.

Image Credit: R. de Jong

#4MOST #Astronomy

A view of the VISTA telescope and its 4MOST instrument. The structure is grey, with several cables visible around it. The telescope is viewed from above and is located inside a building with metallic walls.

1/ The 4MOST instrument installed on our VISTA telescope in Chile completed its first test observations.

@4most-eu.bsky.social will help us unravel our galactic history, explore dark matter, and more.
www.eso.org/public/annou...

🔭 🧪
#instrumentation
📷 AIP/A. Saviauk

New Telescope Captures First Light in Chile - Durham University

First light for 4MOST! 🔭 Global telescope collaboration @4most-eu.bsky.social captures its first light, beginning a scientific journey to reveal how galaxies and stars form and evolve. Discover Durham’s role in this project 👉 www.durham.ac.uk/news-events/...

@icc-durham.bsky.social

A new telescope facility is born 🌟, #4MOST captured its first starlight 💫 An impressive example of international cooperation.

4MOST can analyse the light from 2,400 objects simultaneously in 18,000 colours.

www.aip.de/news/4most-f...

@eso.org @4most-eu.bsky.social @aippotsdam.bsky.social

4MOST Begins its Journey of Cosmic Discovery 4MOST embarks on a cosmic journey, capturing spectra of thousands of celestial objects simultaneously, unlocking secrets of the universe.

🤩The @4most-eu.bsky.social (#4MOST) facility on @eso.org VISTA telescope in Chile achieved first light.
#MPE scientists played a leading role in developing the Operations System, enabling to link #eROSITA’s X-ray universe with large-scale structure of galaxies.
➡️ More: www.mpe.mpg.de/8102833/news...

This marks the start of 4MOST's journey to explore our Galaxy and beyond, and we are very excited to bring you all along with us!

4MOST simultaneously collected light from 2000 objects, including the Sculptor galaxy, the globular cluster NGC 288, and the active core of a distant galaxy, revealing their detailed chemical signatures.

YouTube video by 4-meter Multi-Object Spectroscopic Telescope First Light for 4MOST!

First Light for 4MOST!

The 4-metre Multi-Object Spectroscopic Telescope (4MOST) has captured its very first spectra!

Video Credit: AIP/R. de Jong, AIP/K. Riebe, AIP/A. Saviauk, CRAL/J.-K. Krogager

A hexagonal map showing the focal plane of the 4MOST instrument, with many coloured dots showing fibre positions for first light, each marking where light from a star or galaxy will be collected.

Sneak peek time! 👀

Each dot in this image is a target star or galaxy that will be captured in our First Light! Soon, each of these dots will turn into spectra, revealing the chemical signature of each of these objects!

Image Credit: R. de Jong

#4MOST #astronomy #telescope #observatory #science

Bottles of sparkling wine placed in front of the 4MOST instrument, symbolising celebration as the team prepares for first light.

The glasses aren’t raised just yet… but they’re standing by. Preparations for 4MOST First Light are in full swing, and the team on the mountain clearly have everything ready for the big day! 🥂

📷: R. de Jong

#4MOST #telescope #astronomy #astrophysics #science #observatory

A yellow road sign showing a winding arrow standing on a desert mountain road leaning towards the 4MOST site, symbolising the twists and turns of the journey to first light.

The road has been winding, but the destination is now in sight! 4MOST is almost at first light! Stay tuned 👀

📷: F. Laurent

#4MOST #telescope #astronomy #astrophysics #science #observatory

3/3: The nine 4MOST Extragalactic Community Surveys explore the Universe beyond the Milky Way. Together they will probe galaxy evolution, the baryon cycle, strong lensing, quasar feedback, and the large-scale structure of the cosmos!

📷: A. Saviauk/AIP

#WorldSpaceWeek #4MOST #extragalactic