The Astronomy Department has negotiated a 5% share (through the Research Corporation) of the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) being built on the site of the Mt. Graham International Observatory (home of the Hertz 10 meter radio telescope and the 1.8 meter Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope) in Arizona and scheduled for completion in 2004. The LBT consists of two 8.4 meter mirrors on a single mount with the light gathering power of an 11.8 meter mirror and the resolution of a 22.8 meter mirror. The $5M gift from Hubbard Broadcasting, Inc., provides the department with an unparalleled opportunity to have guaranteed access to a unique forefront facility, the Large Binocular Telescope, and to all the other telescopes operated by the University of Arizona. More detailed information can be found from the following links.
Mt. Graham has been the focus of numerous protests on cultural and
environmental grounds. Most of these issues were considered settled in the
mid-nineties. More details on
Environmental issues Cultural issues Legal actions
The University of Virginia has also recently joined the LBT
project. They have put together a summary of the issues surrounding Mt.
Graham and the LBT:
The Research Corporation is a private nonprofit foundation supporting scientific research and education.General introduction Present use of Mt. Graham Mt. Graham fact and fiction. What they have said.
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Web Page Maintained by astroweb-@-astro.umn.edu. Updated 10/27/03
