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The Gran Telescopio Canarias overlooks the Canary Islands from high atop a mountain ridge.

(PLANETQUEST) -- Astronomers in Spain have taken their first test drive of the newest and biggest tool in planet-hunting.

The Gran Telescopio Canarias is the latest holder of the title of world's largest telescope. Located on the Canary Islands off the coast of Morocco, the 10.4 meter telescope is 4 percent larger than the previous record holder - the Keck I and II telescopes on Mauna Kea in Hawaii.

A first-light ceremony for the new telescope was held July 13. Despite the fact that only a third of the 36 mirror segments were in place, the telescope was able to capture light from the distant galaxy UGC 10923. The first observation was made at a ceremony attended by the prince of Spain and rock guitarist-cum-astronomer Brian May of Queen. The telescope is slated to begin making scientific observations next year.

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One of the first images captured by the Gran Telescopio Canarias: a portrait of the faraway galaxy UGC 10923.

The giant telescope will use 36 hexagonal mirrors, each 1.9 meters inside, to capture light from distant galaxies and stars and to study extrasolar planets. The dome housing the telescope is 100 feet wide.

According to a paper released at a workshop held during 2004 at the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, researchers hope to use the expanded capabilities of the telescope to observe brown dwarfs, cool, nearby stars, and objects with planetary mass in the constellation of Orion.

The new telescope is funded 90 percent by the Spanish government and is part of a complex of telescopes at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory on the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands. Other partners include the Instituto de Astronomía de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico and the Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica, Óptica y Electrónica, both in Mexico, as well as the University of Florida.

Written by Joshua Rodriguez/PlanetQuest