When a preening guest approaches the mirror, the surface illuminates to reveal tiny, iridescent Botox bottles with preserved narcissus flowers.

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"Imagine that the mirror's surface is made of many smaller mirrors turned to different angles, like a disco ball, " said R.

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And when its aluminium coating is replaced with silver in a year or two's time (a huge vacuum-chamber housed at the telescope's base will be used to deposit metallic vapour on to the mirror's reflecting surface), it will be able to see into the infra-red with equal clarity, opening up a much neglected area of astronomy.

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These actuators maintain the curvature of the surface as the mirror moves.

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The "ComfyView" display has an anti-glare matte surface, which reduces mirror-like reflections and improves viewing in bright light.

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The surface became a dark mirror as we cut the motors, taking in the guttural whoops, whines, trills and clicks around us.

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