World's Largest Optical Telescope Reveals First Image

The first images from the Large Binocular Telescope were released on the Web today, said a spokesman from Ohio State's Department of Astronomy, a partner in the project.

"We are thrilled with the quality of these images," added Patrick Osmer, chair in the department, and Distinguished Professor of Mathematical and Physical Sciences. "This is an important milestone in the process of reaching full functionality for the telescope."

According to an announcement from the Large Binocular Telescope Corporation, the target was an edge-on spiral galaxy (type Sb) known as NGC891 in the constellation Andromeda. This galaxy lies at a distance of 24 million light years from Earth. NGC891 is of particular interest because the galaxy-wide burst of star formation inferred from X-ray emission is stirring up the gas and dust in its disk, resulting in filaments of obscuring dust extending vertically for hundreds of light-years.

This image was created with just the first of the two 8.4-meter mirrors in place on the LBT, which is located on Mount Graham, AZ. During the coming winter months, the second mirror will be prepared for operation, and the super-thin coating of aluminum to make the mirror shiny will be deposited by scientists and researchers from Ohio State, who developed the technique. When both mirrors are in place and working together, the twin mirrors will offer astronomers a combined interferometric resolving power of a 23-meter telescope, according to Osmer.

"When we made the decision several years ago to expand the Department of Astronomy, we knew that becoming part of a major telescope project was crucial for progress," said Richard R. Freeman, Dean and Distinguished Professor of Mathematical and Physical Sciences. "With the first mirror in place and the second mirror about to be aluminized on the LBT, we already see that the technological abilities of the telescope will be everything we dreamed. It stirs the imagination of us all to realize that with this telescope we will be able to see other planets in distant solar systems."

The LBT is a collaborative effort that includes numerous astronomy and academic institutions in the United States, Italy and Germany. In addition to financial commitments, each partner's unique expertise ensures this will be the most advanced ground-based telescope ever constructed.

In addition to Ohio State, which holds a 1/8 share of the project, other partners include the University of Arizona; the Italian National Institute of Astrophysics (Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica); and the LBT Beteiligungsgesellschaft, a group of German institutes and observatories – each of which hold a one-fourth share of the project. The Research Corporation holds 1/8 share and has granted to Ohio State a portion of observing time that gives the university about 1/6 of the total observing time on the LBT. In addition, the Research Corporation has also allocated portions of its observing time to the University of Notre Dame, the University of Minnesota, and the University of Virginia.

Pictures of the LBT and the first image can be accessed at: www.mps.ohio-state.edu and http://medusa.as.arizona.edu/lbto/FL/main.htm
A video news release of the recent accomplishment will be available via satellite as follows:

Date:Wednesday, October 26, 2005

Time:2:00 PM – 2:15 PM (C.E.T.)/10:00 AM – 10:15 AM (E.D.T.) / 4:00 PM – 4:15 PM (C.E.T.)

Location:C-Band Uplink:
Transponder: IA 6C-11
Uplink Freq: 6145 MHz (H)
Downlink Freq: 3920 MHz (V)

Ku-Band Uplink:
Channel: T12K-13D1 4.5 MHz
Uplink Freq: 14272.000 (H)
Downlink Freq: 11472.000 (H)

To obtain this feed via fiber, contact Vyvx Booking at 800-648-333 and ask for the "LBT – 1st Light" feed.