An optical and near-infrared telescope on Mount Graham in the Pinaleno Mountains of southeastern Arizona, built by an international collaboration including institutions in the United States, Italy and Germany. Dedicated in October 2004, it saw first light with a single mirror in October 2005 and became fully binocular by January 2008; its two 8.4-meter mirrors combined give it the light-gathering power of an 11.8-meter telescope and, when used interferometrically, the resolving power of a 22.8-meter telescope.
Facts
Observatory TypeGround-based optical observatory 1 LocationMount Graham, Pinaleno Mountains, Arizona, United States 1 MeasuresOptical and near-infrared light, with resolving power equivalent to a single 22.8-meter telescope when its two mirrors are combined interferometrically. 1 Operating PrincipleTwo 8.4-meter mirrors mounted side by side on a single common structure, hence the name binocular, with adaptive optics correcting atmospheric distortion. 1 Sources
1. Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
Wikimedia FoundationWikipedia: Large Binocular Telescope, lead sectionQuote, Wikipedia: Large Binocular Telescope, lead section
The Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) is an optical telescope for astronomy located on 10,700-foot (3,300 m) Mount Graham, in the Pinaleno Mountains of southeastern Arizona, United States.
1. Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
Wikimedia FoundationWikipedia: Large Binocular Telescope, history sectionQuote, Wikipedia: Large Binocular Telescope, history section
The telescope was dedicated in October 2004 and saw first light with a single primary mirror on October 12, 2005
1. Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
Wikimedia FoundationWikipedia: Large Binocular Telescope, specifications sectionQuote, Wikipedia: Large Binocular Telescope, specifications section
When using both 8.4 m (330 inch) wide mirrors, with centres 14.4 m apart, the LBT has the same light-gathering ability as an 11.8 m (464 inch) wide single circular telescope and the resolution of a 22.8 m (897 inch) wide one.
1. Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
Wikimedia FoundationWikipedia: Large Binocular Telescope, design sectionQuote, Wikipedia: Large Binocular Telescope, design section
The telescope design has two 8.4 m (330 inch) mirrors mounted on a common base, hence the name binocular.
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