Honeycomb mirror

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A honeycomb mirror is a large mirror whose face is supported by a ribbed structure that resembles a honeycomb. Used in astronomical telescopes, the design provides sufficient rigidity for ultra-high precision optics while reducing the weight of the mirror. The reduced weight, in turn, allows smaller, lighter support and control structures, reducing the overall cost of the telescope. The term may also refer to mirrors made up of a coordinated set of individual hexagonal mirrors.

The development of the honeycomb mirror has allowed the creation of larger instruments than would be feasible with solid mirrors. Solid mirrors are not only mechanically cumbersome, but it is difficult to cast and safely cool a single large block of glass. Honeycomb designs can reduce the weight of the mirror by as much as eighty percent.