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 Classification
Observing Band FAQs
Why does the Large Binocular Telescope use two mirrors on one mount?
Two 8.4-meter mirrors on one mount collect light like an 11.8-meter mirror and resolve like a 23-meter one.
The telescope carries two 8.4-meter primary mirrors side by side on a single mount. Used together they give an effective collecting area equal to a single 11.8-meter mirror, and when their light is combined interferometrically they reach the resolving power of roughly a 23-meter telescope.
Connections
Operated By
Source LBTO: Governance of the Large Binocular Telescope Observatory
In the Other Atlases
Located In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is located.
Sources
1. Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
Wikimedia FoundationWikipedia: 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
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.
View the Source Large Binocular Telescope (Wikipedia)
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.
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.
Large Binocular Telescope, Wikipedia - lead section, observing band (optical)
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.
In Group: Optical Observatories of the Americas, Lead sentence
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.
View the SourceLBTO: Governance of the Large Binocular Telescope Observatory
Operated By: Large Binocular Telescope Corporation, Governance, LBTCQuote, Operated By: Large Binocular Telescope Corporation, Governance, LBTC
The Large Binocular Telescope Corporation (LBTC) is the legal entity governing the Observatory.
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