(ANSA) - Rome, May 25 - An Italian group has won a 400-million-euro contract to construct the dome and support structure for the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT). Situated in the Chilean Andes, the E-ELT will be the largest optical-near-infrared telescope in the world and will be managed by the European Southern Observatory (ESO). E-ELT will be completed by the ACe consortium with Astaldi, Cimolai and the EIE group among the subcontractors. The contact for the dome and the support structure was signed in Germany on Wednesday by ESO Director General Tim de Zeeuw, Astaldi President Paolo Astaldi and Cimolai President Luigi Cimolai, with Italian Education Minister Stefania Giannini among those present.

The E-ELT will gather 13 times more light than the largest optical telescopes existing today. It should advance astrophysical knowledge by enabling detailed studies of planets around other stars, the first galaxies in the Universe, super-massive black holes, and the nature of the Universe's dark sector.

It is estimated that Italian firms have won contracts worth a total of 800 million euros over the last 15 years.

"This booty is the incredible return from the Italian expertise in this sector," said Nicolò D'Amico, the head of the Italian National Astrophysics Institute (INAF).

