HONOLULU — Chinese astronomers are signing on to participate in the development of the world’s largest telescope to be built atop a Hawaii volcano.

The National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has joined the Thirty Meter Telescope as an observer.
This will allow the organization to help with the planning and development of the telescope, which is being spearheaded by a consortium of California and Canadian universities.
The organization may also become a full partner later.
The telescope’s mirror will stretch almost 100 feet (30 meters) in diameter, or nearly the length of a Boeing 737’s wingspan, when it’s finished in 2018.
The National Astronomical Observatory of Japan also participates as an observer.