The Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) is located on Mt. Graham in Southeastern Arizona. The goal of the LBT project is to construct a binocular telescope consisting of two 8.4-meter mirrors on a common mount. This telescope will be equivalent in light-gathering power to a single 11.8 meter instrument. Because of its binocular arrangement, the telescope will have a resolving power (ultimate image sharpness) corresponding to a 22.8-meter telescope.
 

Photo: Large Binocular Telescope Observatory, December 2006.

LBT is a leg of Around the World in 80 Telescopes tour: Click to play; click  (lower right) to view video full screen Part 2 Click to play; click  (lower right) to view video full screen Part 3 Click to play; click  (lower right) to view video full screen Next stop: TAMA (previous stop: Apache Point)

The feasibility study for the project was completed in early 1989. In 1992, the original partners (Arizona, Italy and Research Corporation) decided to proceed to the construction phase even though the funds available were sufficient only to complete a "reduced first light" telescope with only one primary mirror in place. With the addition of LBTB and Ohio State University to the consortium in 1997, the project began to construct the full binocular telescope. The telescope was completed in Italy and shipped to Arizona in the summer of 2002.

The Large Binocular Telescope uses an elevation over an azimuth mounting. The elevation optical support structure moves on two large C-shaped rings and the compact azimuth platform transmits the loads directly down to the pier. The two 8.4 meter (331 inch) diameter primary mirrors are mounted with a 14.4 meter center-center separation. By using swing arms to rotate the secondary mirrors and their supports, it is possible to switch the telescope from one mode of observation to another very quickly. The short focal length of the primary mirrors (F/1.142) permits a compact, and therefore quite stiff telescope structure.

The Large Binocular Telescope generally focuses on cosmology, star & planet formation, and direct detection of planets orbiting nearby stars.

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