Picture yourself in the nosebleed seats at the football stadium at the University of

Arizona.

Where you're peering down at the field or over at the jumbo tron to catch the plays,

something totally unexpected is taking form beneath your feet.

A furnace is worrying to life.

A giant furnace tucked beneath the east stands of the stadium.

And inside this furnace is glass, tens of thousands of pounds of glass melting and spinning

into the world's most gigantic mirror.

I'm Dylan Therese and this is Atlas Obscura, a celebration of the world's strange, incredible

and wondrous places.

Today, we're taking a trip to the Richard F. Carris Mirror Lab at the University of Arizona.

It's where scientists are building gigantic mirrors that will show us the sharpest pictures

of the cosmos that nature will even allow.

And we'll talk to someone who got up close and personal with these gigantic mirrors.

That's after this.

Our tour guide for today is reporter Johanna Mayer.

She hosts Science Diction, a podcast from the public radio show Science Friday.

Johanna, how are you doing today?

Hey Dylan, I'm happy to be here.

I'm really excited to hear about this place.

So what exactly are these mirrors for?

Okay, so you know about the Hubble Telescope, right?

...