LBTO Science Operations
Welcome to the Science Operations Web Pages for the Large Binocular Telescope Observatory (LBTO), an international collaboration among institutions in the United States, Italy and Germany. LBT Corporation Members are: The University of Arizona on behalf of the Arizona university system; Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, Italy; LBT Beteiligungsgesellschaft, Germany, representing the Max-Planck Society, the Astrophysical Institute Potsdam, and Heidelberg University; The Ohio State University, and The Research Corporation, on behalf of The University of Notre Dame, University of Minnesota and University of Virginia.
Large Binocular Telescope – Image complements of Ryan Ketterer
Located on the summit of Mt. Graham, LBTO aspires to be the first of the ELTs and one of the leading 8-m class telescopes. Comprised of privately funded or national institutes and consortiums of universities, the goal of LBTO and its partners is to ensure that its community of users are receiving the highest-quality astronomical data.
On these pages you will find the information needed to prepare for observations or writing proposals and details about the instruments available.
Additional details about the Mt. Graham International Observatory (MGIO) site can be found on the MGIO web pages. Additional technical details about the mechanics and optics of the Large Binocular Telescope can be found on the main LBTO website.
About the Telescope, Support Staff, and the Instruments
View of the SX (Left side of the telescope) taken closed dome by S Allanson, LBTO
The About and Instrument sections provide the users a plethora of information about the science capabilities available at the LBT, and information about the Support resources available. Detailed information is included for our Facility and PI instruments, both capabilities and use.
About Proposal Submission and Script Preparation
Cat’s Eye Nebula with SOUL LUCI1 AO in Ks H2 FeII – B.Rothberg, LBTO
In addition the the About LBTO and Instrument Pages, LBTO has developed a Phase I Tool (PIT) for Proposal Submission which is used by a number of our partners. LBTO Observing Tool (OT) is a tool that allows users to create complex and detailed observing scripts for our facility instruments. This tool allows users to visualize their science script generation.
About observing at our Facility, Obtaining your Data, and Data Dissemination
LBTO Facility – Image compliments of J. Crass, Notre Dame
Whether observing remotely, onsite, or in queue, there are a number of useful tools and links to help prepare for observing runs, monitor the site and weather, etc under Observing with the LBT. Data is accessed in real time through our data archive. Pipelines are in development by various institutions and instrument PI’s.
LBTO Science News
Public Data Policy Expanded
Beginning February 1st 2024, all science data in the archive will be publicly available after the proprietary period for that data has ended. Therefore, all partner data acquired after February 1st 2024 with the 12 month default proprietary period will …
... Read MoreUnveiling the population of dual and lensed active galactic nuclei at sub-arcsec separations
Unveiling the population of dual and lensed active galactic nuclei at sub-arcsec separations is an exciting Nature paper featuring the LBT AO system at work. The team describes a new selection method to obtain a sample of dual/lensed active galactic …
... Read MoreAstronomy in the Near-Infrared: Observing Strategies and Data Publications
As any user in the NIR astronomical community may already recognize, the resources geared towards near infrared observing are few and far between. The release of Astronomy in the Near-Infrared- Observing Strategies and Data Publications by Dr. Jochen Heidt provides …
... Read MoreLBTO Instrument News
DX LUCI Pyramid Rotated – AO offline
2023-12-04 DX LUCI WFS Offline
On UT2023-12-04, it was found that the four DX pyramid pupils were rotated 45 degrees on the OCAM display. Further investigations showed that the pyramid is rotated in regard of the W board direction. To …
LUCI1 Offline for Camera Wheel Failure (Resolved)
Update Dec 5, 2023: LUCI1 released for science…with caveats!
LUCI1 is again available for science…with caveats, so please read this carefully. We are assuming that the flexure calibrations taken prior to the camera wheel failure are still valid. We …
DX AO in Cold Conditions
Last February we experienced a number of failures of the DX AO at cold temperatures. At temperatures below -5C, there has been a high frequency of communication failures. The main signature of these failures is that the FastDiagnostics data stop …
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