The Large Binocular Telescope
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Located on Mount Graham in southeastern Arizona, the Large Binocular Telescope is the first of a new generation of extraordinarily large optical telescopes, and it is breaking boundaries in astronomy and related fields. It uses two massive 8.4-meter (27.6 foot) diameter primary mirrors mounted side-by-side to produce the light gathering power equivalent to an 11.8-meter (39 foot) circular aperture. The mirrors, which are lighter in weight than conventional solid-glass mirrors due to their unique “honeycomb” structure, are now working in tandem and will be capable of operating as a single instrument. Ultimately, the interferometric combination of the light paths of the two primary mirrors will provide a resolution of a 22.8-meter (75 foot) telescope. With its capability, the LBT is the largest single telescope in the world.
