Apologies for the lack of a proper post last week — spring break did a number on my sense of time and my Thursday post ran in print. 

But now, back to your regularly scheduled dose of tech talk:

1. Welcome to Spaaaace

Construction on the Thirty Meter Telescope, a device that allows scientists to see galaxies and other objects 13 million light years away, begins in April 2014, pending some last-minute contract approval.

The TMT will be the largest telescope in the world, until the completion of Europe’s Extremely Long Telescope (yes, that’s the real name) in 2022.

There is some controversy surrounding the TMT — the proposed building site is the summit of the Mauna Kea volcano in Hawaii, which would cost more than $1 billion. Hawaiian natives are worried the construction might damage the environment, which is likely a valid concern.

But still. 13 million light years away? Observing the formation of galaxies on the very edge of what we know? “Intriguing” is the understatement of the century.

2. Microsoft building a smart watch

Per the Wall Street Journal ($), Microsoft is the latest company to be reportedly developing a touchscreen smart watch.

That silence you hear is the sound of the almost non-existent smart watch market squealing with glee.

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Check back Thursday for an update on this week’s tech news!