Víctor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope with DECam

The Víctor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope has a 4-meter (13-foot) diameter mirror, which weighs 15,400 kg (34,000 lbs). It was designed in the 1960s. The Dark Energy Camera (black paint) is mounted at the prime (first) focus near the top of the Serrurier truss (white paint). The blue-painted structure is the large bearing that allows the telescope to move in right ascension. The telescope declination axis is located at the level of the middle of the right ascension bearing and is best seen on the left side of the large U-shaped notch. The primary mirror is located a few feet lower than the declination axis.