Stargazing at Mt. Graham

by Pete Klute

Southeastern Arizona's Mt. Graham is the home of the Mt. Graham International Observatories (MGIO) where the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) facility is currently under construction. When it is completed next year it will be the world's most powerful optical telescope. MGIO is a division of Steward Observatory—part of the Department of Astronomy at the University of Arizona. The facility also is home to the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope and the Heinrich Hertz Submillimeter Telescope.

All-day guided tours of Mt. Graham are conducted on Saturdays until mid-November. Reservations are being taken at 928-428-6260 Option 3. The $40 per person fee includes admission on Friday or Saturday evening to Discovery Park in Safford.