What Are Binocular Telescopes?

The Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) is two 8.4-meter-diameter binoculars mounted on the same rack, with an equivalent diameter of 11.8 meters, and is located at the Graham Mountain International Observatory in Arizona, USA

The Big Binoculars, formerly known as the Columbus Project, is a multi-national cooperative project. Participants include Italian astronomy, University of Arizona, Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, University of Michigan, Ohio State University, University of Minnesota, University of Virginia, University of Notre Dame, Germany Astronomy community, etc.

The large binoculars are located at the Graham Hill International Observatory in Saford, Arizona (coordinates 32 ° 4204.71 N 109 ° 5320.63 W), at an altitude of 3,221 meters. The main mirror is a composite mirror. ^[1]

The main mirror of the large binoculars is made of borosilicate glass with a focal ratio of 1.142 and was cast in the mirror laboratory of the Stewart Observatory of the University of Arizona. The focal points of the two main mirrors are combined into one focal point with an equivalent aperture of 11.8 meters, and active optics and adaptive optics are installed. If used as an optical interferometer, the maximum angular resolution of a large binocular is equivalent to a telescope with a diameter of 22.8 meters. The observation room of the telescope is square and erected on a circular track with a diameter of 23 meters. The observation room has openable and closable vents on all sides.

The first primary mirror of the large binoculars was completed in October 2004, and observations began on October 12, 2005 [4]. The second primary mirror was installed in January 2006, and observation began on September 18, 2006. ^[2]