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Large Binocular Telescope
Telescope for optical astronomy / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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. It is a part of the Mount Graham International Observatory.
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Alternative names | First Light ![]() |
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Part of | Mount Graham International Observatory Steward Observatory ![]() |
Location(s) | Mount Graham, Graham County, Arizona |
Coordinates | 32°42′05″N 109°53′21″W ![]() |
Observatory code | G83 ![]() |
Altitude | 3,221 m (10,568 ft) ![]() |
First light | 12 October 2005 ![]() |
Telescope style | optical telescope double telescope ![]() |
Diameter | 8.4 m (27 ft 7 in) ![]() |
Collecting area | 111 m2 (1,190 sq ft) ![]() |
Focal length | 9.6 m (31 ft 6 in) ![]() |
Mounting | altazimuth mount ![]() |
Website | www![]() |
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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]
The LBT mirrors individually are the joint second-largest optical telescope in continental North America, next to the Hobby–Eberly Telescope in West Texas. It has the largest monolithic, or non-segmented, mirror in an optical telescope.
Strehl ratios of 60–90% in the infrared H band and 95% in the infrared M band have been achieved by the LBT.[2]