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 and Italy. LBT Corporation Members are: The University of Arizona on behalf of the Arizona university system; Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, Italy; 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 to 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 Instrument News
MODS Controller Upgrade
MODS Controller Upgrade – MODS1 released for shared-risk observations
update: Apr 28th
MODS1 is now released for shared-risk observations. The release of MODS2 is being held back by an issue with the slitmask cassette which is being investigated.
Unlike with …
LUCI1 Detector Focus Failure
LUCI1 Detector Focus Repaired, Returned for Operations (May 4, 2026)
LUCI1 has been released for SL/ESM science. Verification sets showed that the passive flexure tables from Sept 2025 looked good, with the spots remaining within ~2 pixels over the full …
TMS Back Online
March 27, 2026: We have recently resolved the issues with the TMS PC, and the system has been released for science use.
... Read More| Status | Instrument | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 🟢 | LBC BLUE | |
| 🟢 | LBC RED | A piece of debris is stuck on the inside of the dewar window starting on 2025-12-21. Intervention is planned during the upcoming summer shutdown. |
| 🟢 | LUCI1 | Released for SL and ESM science. |
| 🟢 | LUCI2 | N1.8 occasionally fails to properly reach the detent position. SL released for science, ESM and full AO imaging available for science. |
| 🟢 | MODS1 | Released for shared-risk observations after undergoing a controller upgrade last summer. |
| 🔴 | MODS2 | Masks are not reliably inserted/retracted. Release in shared-risk mode after the controller upgrade is pending resolution of this problem. |
| 🟢 | PEPSI PFU | |
| 🔴 | PEPSI POL | Uninstalled Nov 20. |
| 🟠 | LBTI | NOMIC unavailable. |
| 🟢 | SHARK NIR | |
| 🟢 | SHARK VIS |
