After exiting the van, our guide, John showed us just how close the fire came to destroying the telescope complex. That must have been a very scary time on the mountain. After the welcome to Mt. Graham briefing, he took us inside the Vatican advanced technology telescope (VATT) complex owned and operated by the Catholic church. It is a place that allows the Jesuit astronomers to observe the heavens in comfort. Unlike yesteryear, astronomers no longer stand below a telescope and look through an eyepiece. Now when it is freezing outside, they sit in toasty warm comfort and view the heavens via their computer screens.
There are several computer screens inside the VATT complex that can display images coming directly from the telescope so the days when an astronomer must brave the cold to see the heavens are found only in the history books. Today a warm room with some hot coffee or tea, and maybe even some ethereal music is the recipe to unravel the mysteries of the cosmos.
John provided us with unfettered access to every part of the VATT complex. He is a highly trained engineer and he presented complete information about the telescopes. His tour was more like a master class on how telescopes, and everything else on the mountain works. In addition to presenting an excellent class on the operation of the telescope, he showed us the other aspects of the operation, including the living quarters, and support facilities. During the lunch break on the way up the mountain, he told us that the bedrooms were small. Ha…they were truly as small as he told us they were. I am a former sailor, and quite used to small sleeping quarters, so I was ready to move right in. Of course, I am neither an astronomer, nor a Jesuit, so I will not likely ever have that experience.
The walls of the living quarters are adorned with beautiful photos of objects in space that were no doubt captured from the computer screens. Some of the world’s most dramatic photographic images are taken by astronomers. They are among the best photographers on the planet.
After touring, and examining the living quarters, we take the elevator up to view the telescope. It was impressive, and standing below it, my perceived kinship with the astronomers started to deepen. I do not have their scholarship, but I do have their interest. Throughout the entire day, John presented a splendid nonstop presentation on the hardware and the operation of the telescopes. He even told us a bit about the mission. However, as good as it was, it just scratched the surface of something as big as—well, as big as the universe.
I was happy that I have a decent background in things astronomical. The tour allowed me to reconnect with my knowledge of astronomy and having that background made John’s presentation even more meaningful. Nevertheless, after about an hour into the tour, my brain went into overload. Nevertheless, the geek that I am wanted more, and I got it.
The work that the Catholic Astronomers are doing on Mt Graham is yielding knowledge about our universe. It seems as if they are looking for life in the cosmos. One (unnamed) source told me that among other things they were looking for God. I find that very interesting but have no idea if that is a stated part of their mission. However, it would not be surprising if it is.
After a thorough explanation of the telescope that towered above us, the tour of the VATT facilities was complete. Now it was time to move on to experience what I had come to see. The Large Binocular Telescope.
THE LARGE BINOCULAR TELESCOPE: (LBT)
When we look through a telescope, we are looking back in time. I have, on occasion, referred to space as the great cosmic lie laid out above us, and it is. To varying degrees what we see does not exist in the way we see it. For example, a star 100 light-years away could have vanished 50 of our years ago, and we would not know it because the light we see from that star is still traveling to the earth from 100 years ago. We would not see it disappear until 100 years after the event, so strictly speaking what we experience as “real-time,” is a lie.
When John took us into the giant room that houses the LBT, we were awed by the majesty of the machine. Thanks to him, the introduction to the telescope was even greater than I had expected. John is now retired, but at one time he was the director of the Mt. Graham International Observatory. His knowledge of the LBT, as well as the two other telescopes on Mt. Graham, is impressive. I came for a simple tour of the giant telescopes, but the tour turned into a master class on the telescopes and how they are used.
MEETING LUCIFER
Looking at space in the infrared spectrum reveals things that we cannot see because of the limitations of our eyes. By using an infrared device, one can see sights not visible in the normal light spectrum. It also produces photographic images not available using typical optical telescopic photography. The device that accomplishes that on the LBT is was originally named LUCIFER.
LUCIFER (Pronounced LU-CI-FER) is an acronym for Large Binocular Telescope Near-infrared Spectroscopic Utility with Camera and Integral Field Unit for Extragalactic Research. Please remember this because it will be on the test. However, the name LUCIFER was considered to have a negative connotation, so the device is now referred to as LUCI. For the technically minded among us, I will present an in-depth explanation at another time. For the rest of us here’s the deal.
Astronomers have known for years that looking into space with an optical telescope does not present the entire picture. Therefore, to reveal or enhance what they can see with traditional telescopes, they started scanning the skies in the infrared spectrum. In some respects, it is now the spectrum of choice. Simply stated, an infrared telescope is a telescope that uses infrared light to examine celestial bodies. It is an incredible tool for astronomy.
Infrared light is one of several types of radiation present in the electromagnetic spectrum. All celestial objects with a temperature above absolute zero emit some form of electromagnetic radiation. To study the universe, scientists use several different types of telescopes to detect the different types of emitted radiation in the electromagnetic spectrum. Some of these are gamma-ray, x-ray, ultra-violet, and infrared telescopes. While that sounds and is somewhat esoteric, the discovery of infrared radiation goes way back to 1800 when William Herschel discovered infrared radiation. Like all scientific discoveries, advancements, and discoveries made along the way, LUCI is an indispensable tool for the astronomers that use the LBT.
Have you ever had an instance in your life when you saw something, then immediately exclaimed: Did I just see that? Of course, you have. To have a guaranteed “did I just see that” experience, do the following.
On a pleasant summer night go out in your backyard, or someplace away from lights and with some soft (dry) grass. Take a pair of binoculars with you, as well as a pair of infrared binoculars. (spoiler alert…infrared binoculars are crazy expensive. ) Lie down on your back and scan the sky with the regular binoculars. Now repeat the process with the infrared binoculars. What you will see will not just amaze you, it will blow your mind. You will wonder what’s going on up there. You won’t believe your eyes. Human eyes are really good for some things, but they are, by design, limited in some respects.
Usually, Arizona is very hot and very dry, but when the rains finally come they can be very heavy. Rain affects astronomical observations, and cloud cover of any kind prevents optical astronomy. September in Arizona is known for heavy cloud cover and rain. The time of heavy rain is known as the “monsoon season.” On my first night in Safford, Arizona, the closest city to Mt. Graham, it rained very hard. I loved it because after spending the summer in a high desert, it was the first rain that I experienced in three months. I live in the tropics of Central America, so I am accustomed to rain.
Everyone associated with the telescopes on Mt. Graham understands that during the monsoon season, viewing is not usually possible. Consequently, the astronomers take this time to return to their respective communities around the world. While in Arizona, I did interact with some astronomers, but on the day of my visit, there were no astronomers on the mountain. I was disappointed about that because I wanted to speak with an astronomer at the LBT. The monsoon time is used to make adjustments to the telescopes and the support equipment, so I did get to speak with a couple of the technicians there. Two days later when I visited the astronomical complex on Kitt Peak, which is also in southern Arizona, I did have the chance to speak with some real-life astronomers there. That was eye-opening, and a bit frightening. Don’t ask.
The complex on Mt. Graham is a lot like a small town. It has the same needs as every small town, but it is quite remote, and it exists with a unique set of restrictions. Some of them are fascinating, like the complex being surrounded by an endangered Red Squirrel habitation. That would be strange enough, but life in any remote location differs from life in a city.
Like any other community, Mt. Graham has its own police force. At one time it was substantial because of the organized opposition to the telescopes by the “green community,” and some Indian tribes. Strictly speaking, they were not actually against the telescopes but against the intrusion into the area. Today, a department of only one or two officers is required to serve the needs of the mountain top.
RADIO TELESCOPE
We couldn’t look through the third telescope on Mt. Graham. Why I hear you ask? Well, that is because it is not an optical telescope. It is a Radio Telescope.
A radio telescope is a specialized antenna and radio receiver used to receive radio waves from radio sources in space. Optical telescopes are the main observing instrument used in traditional astronomy which looks at the light wave spectrum coming from astronomical objects. Radio telescopes are the main observing instrument used in radio astronomy, which is the study of the radio frequency portion of the electromagnetic spectrum emitted by astronomical objects.
Radio telescopes are typically large parabolic (“dish”) antennas similar to those employed in tracking and communicating with satellites, space probes, and Satellite TV. They may be used singly or linked together electronically in an array. Unlike optical telescopes, radio telescopes can be used in the daytime as well as at night. Since astronomical radio sources such as planets, stars, nebulae, and galaxies are very far away, the radio waves coming from them are extremely weak, so radio telescopes require very large antennas to collect enough radio energy and extremely sensitive equipment to enhance them. to avoid electromagnetic interference (EMI) from radio, television, radar, motor vehicles, and other man-made electronic devices radio observatories are preferentially located far from major centers of population. With the advent of the Internet, Radio Telescopes located hundreds or even thousands of miles apart can be linked together. Since my visit to Mt. Graham, a worldwide network of radio telescopes produced the first photo of a black hole. That is a huge milestone in astronomy!
Radio waves from space were first detected by engineer Karl Guthe Jansky in 1932 at Bell Telephone Laboratories in Holmdel, New Jersey using an antenna built to study noise in radio receivers. The first radio telescope built to study the stars was a 9-meter parabolic dish constructed by a radio amateur Grote Reber in his back yard in Wheaton, Illinois in 1937. The sky survey he did with it is often considered the beginning of the field of radio astronomy.
The tour lasted several hours, and when it was over my mind was overflowing with facts about the giant windows to the heavens. I was mentally and emotionally drained from the experience. I took several photos and made a video of the experience so I have something to keep the experience fresh for me. Sadly because of the low light in some of the locations, much of the video I took is not suitable for public presentation. However, it does serve as an excellent reference for my time at the LBT and the entire Mt. Graham experience. I would like to know more about the dangers to the planet that are lurking “out there.” What is currently known by only a relatively few people must be shared with all of us.
The Covid-19 Virus has for the time being curtailed public visits to the Mt. Graham Complex. Maybe in late 2021 or 2022, the visits will resume. I am holding out hope for that. I want to return to Mt. Graham to make a proper documentary on the telescopes and the astronomers.
—Jim
CLICK HERE to go to The Telescopes of Mt. Graham – Part 1