The Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) Observatory is a collaboration between institutions in Arizona, Germany, Italy, Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio and Virginia. The telescope on Mt. Graham in Southeastern Arizona uses two 8.4-meter diameter primary mirrors mounted side-by-side to produce a collecting area equivalent to an 11.8-meter circular aperture. A unique feature of LBT is that the light from the two primary mirrors can be combined to produce phased array imaging of an extended field. This coherent imaging along with adaptive optics gives the telescope the diffraction-limited resolution of a 22.65-meter telescope. We will describe the scientific results and technical challenges of monocular prime focus imaging starting in Fall 2006. Binocular imaging with two co-pointed prime focus cameras began in Fall 2007. Installation of a rigid (non-adaptive) secondary mirror occurred in Spring 2008 in time for the arrival of the first Gregorian spectrometer. The telescope will use two F/15 adaptive secondaries to correct atmospheric turbulence. The first of these adaptive mirrors is now being tested in Italy, and is planned to be at the telescope by Summer 2009.

Date Published: 10 July 2008
PDF: 15 pages
Proc. SPIE 7012, Ground-based and Airborne Telescopes II, 701203 (10 July 2008); doi: 10.1117/12.790065

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 7012:
Ground-based and Airborne Telescopes II
Larry M. Stepp; Roberto Gilmozzi, Editor(s)