In a festive bout of philanthropy that's bound to help the public perception of Silicon Valley billionaires, Gordon Moore, co-founder of Integrated Electronics - that's Intel to you and me - has donated $200m (£99m) to leading science universities Caltech and the University of California, it is reported.

The staggering sum will go towards construction of the world's largest (single) optical telescope, to be equipped with a 30m (98ft) aperture - nearly three times as large as the soon-to-be-completed Gran Telescopio Canarias' - the current record-holder.

Gordon and his wife Betty have already donated some $50m for the initial design of the Thirty-Meter telescope, expected to be completed in March 2009 and final construction finished in 2017.

The ultra-large surface will have 492 hexagon-shaped mirrors and, according to researchers, the Earth-based telescope will have a resolution higher than the orbiting Hubble's.

Perhaps Gordon wants to see his name in the stars and needs a bigger telescope than what's currently available?

It isn't the first time that Gordon has dipped into his vast fortune to benefit Caltech, though. His foundation donated some $600m in 2001.

Source: LA Times.