Mount Graham International Observatory facts for kids

The Mount Graham International Observatory (MGIO) is a special place where scientists use powerful telescopes to study space! It's part of the Steward Observatory, which is the research center for astronomy at The University of Arizona in the United States. You can find it in southeastern Arizona, high up in the Pinaleño Mountains, close to Mount Graham.

Building the MGIO started in 1989. Today, MGIO helps three different science groups use their telescopes. The first two telescopes, called the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope and the Heinrich Hertz Submillimeter Telescope, started working in 1993. Then came the Large Binocular Telescope, which is one of the biggest and strongest optical telescopes in the whole world! It started using its mirrors one by one in 2004, and then both mirrors together in 2008.

You can even visit the MGIO! The Eastern Arizona College's (EAC) Discovery Park Campus offers public tours. These tours usually happen between mid-April and mid-October, if the weather is good and you make a reservation. It's a great chance to see where amazing space discoveries are made!

Amazing Telescopes at MGIO

The Mount Graham International Observatory is home to some incredible telescopes. Each one helps scientists learn more about the universe in different ways.

The Large Binocular Telescope (LBT)

The Large Binocular Telescope is like having two giant eyes looking at space at the same time! It's operated by the Large Binocular Telescope Corporation. This telescope is super powerful because it uses two huge mirrors together. This lets it collect a lot of light from faraway stars and galaxies, helping astronomers see things that are very dim or far away.

The Heinrich Hertz Submillimeter Telescope

The Heinrich Hertz Submillimeter Telescope is special because it looks at a different kind of light called "submillimeter waves." These waves are between radio waves and infrared light. This telescope is operated by the Arizona Radio Observatory. By studying submillimeter waves, scientists can learn about very cold and dusty places in space, like clouds where new stars are forming.

The Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope (VATT)

The Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope is operated by the Vatican Observatory. This telescope is used for many different astronomy projects. It helps scientists study everything from planets outside our solar system to distant galaxies. It's an important tool for understanding the vastness of the cosmos.

See also

In Spanish: Observatorio Internacional del Monte Graham para niños