A Look at the Mirror Lab at the U of A Tucson
A brief look at the mirrors currently being processed at the Mirror Lab at the U of A in Tucson, Arizona, including the mirrors for the future Giant Magellan Telescope and the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope.
Making the mirrors for the Giant Magellan Telescope at the University of Arizona
Time-lapse creation of the first of seven mirrors for the Giant Magellan Telescope. The Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab at the University of Arizona makes the largest, most precise mirrors for telescopes across the globe.
Shuttle flyover of Steward Observatory
From Steward Observatory on the University of Arizona Campus.
Go Inside a Telescope Mirror Factory | To a Billionth of a Meter
Beneath the University of Arizona football stadium sits the Steward Observatory Mirror Lab. There, giant mirrors are meticulously shaped and polished, to be used in telescopes around the world that are helping unravel the mysteries of the universe. The time-consuming production process requires that each mirror's surface be polished down to a billionth of a meter.
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Go Inside a Telescope Mirror Factory | To a Billionth of a Meter
National Geographic
UA Minute in History: Steward Observatory
How did a scientist, the University of Arizona's first student and a wealthy widow help make the UA a top name in astronomy? Find the answers with Investigative Editor Jamie Verwys in this UA Minute in History.
Video by Marissa Heffernan
Photo Credit: UA Special Collections
How University of Arizona makes mirrors for the world's largest telescope
University of Arizona has the world's only lab capable of manufacturing 27-foot mirrors for what will be the world's largest telescope, the Giant Magellan Telescope.
Kitt Peak - Phil walks us from the Steward Observatory to the Mayall 4m Telescope Elevator, GP018846
Kitt Peak - Phil walks us from the Steward Observatory to the Mayall 4m Telescope Elevator, 30 September 2014, Tucson, Arizona, GP018846
Steward Observatory Group 51
Steward Observatory Group 51 Heritage and Traditions of The University of Arizona. Madison Truman Madison Dawn Timothy Binkley Marissa Kopp
Steward & Me
Jenny is an undergraduate astronomy major at the University of Arizona, and boy does she LOVE Steward Observatory!
1st 8.4m Mirror
Steward Observatory Mirror Lab
Tucson Arizona
Casting the 1st 8.4 meter telescope mirror.
17 Tonnes of Spinning Glass: Making the World's Largest Telescope
This week's guest video comes from Active Galactic Videos: go subscribe! They got to walk on the dish of a telescope:
At the Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab, under the football stadium of the University of Arizona, there's an enormous rotating furnace, keeping tonnes of glass heated as it forms the mirrors for the Giant Magellan Telescope. Here's a look inside!
20160912 - Jim Shedlowsky - Arizona: A Great State for Astronomy
This presentation will discuss Jim’s experiences and discoveries regarding Astronomy in the state of Arizona, which he has been associated with for nearly 50 years. He will review the basic climatic, topographical, demographic and economic characteristics that rank this state as the foremost in the U.S. in Astronomy. he will then describe the bustling Professional Astronomy scene, with the many major academic and research programs at its state universities with connections to NASA, the National Science Foundation, and other national and international organizations. Many of these programs are carried out in the extensive network of world class observatories, which will also be reviewed. Next he will review the very active Amateur Astronomy community and some of its activities,…including the unique “All Arizona Messier Marathon”.
The final part of his presentation will cover a tour of the “Carris Mirror Lab”, in Tucson, where the largest telescope mirrors in the world are built, and which is currently intimately involved with the production of the “Giant Magellan Telescope”, with its seven, 27.5 foot diameter mirrors.
He will close with a review of his reasons to consider Arizona as a “Astronomy Destination”, followed by his customary musical finale.
Jim Shedlowsky, long time member and former WAS treasurer, …and rockabilly legend, worked for 36 years as a Vehicle Development Engineer/Manager, specializing in Acoustics and Noise& Vibration, retiring in 1999. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1960 with a degree in Engineering Physics and spent two years as an officer in the U.S. Army in Germany. In his spare time, he wrote and recorded music for Epic and Roulette Records, as one of the “Skee Brothers” (they were on Dick Clark’s “Bandstand” in 1958 ). Jim’s astronomical interests include observation and outreach (he owns several telescopes), but in recent years his passion for astronomical history and technology has become a major factor. He is a member of the McMath-Hulbert Astronomical Society, and has visited a number of major observatories. He thoroughly enjoys the WAS Discussion Group.
He and his wife winter in Mesa, Arizona ( a great place for observing ), and he participates in activities of the East Valley Astronomy Club. He took part in the “All Arizona Messier Marathon” in March of 2009, earning a certificate for observing 104 Messier Objects in one night.
The Vatican Observatory Foundation
Visit The Vatican Observatory Foundation website:
The Vatican Observatory Foundation is the fundraising arm of the Vatican Observatory. The VOF is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization incorporated in 1986 in the state of Arizona to support the scientific and educational endeavors of the Vatican Observatory, including the maintenance and modernization of the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope (VATT). While funding for Vatican Observatory salaries and administrative expenses comes directly from the Holy See, funding for the telescope and educational initiatives is derived solely from the generous support of the benefactors of the Vatican Observatory Foundation.
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UofA against Toledo...TOUCHDOWN
Live Q&A Session with Professor Chris Impey from Steward Observatory
Join Professor Chris Impey of Steward Observatory at the University of Arizona for a live astronomy question and answer session
Ragged Top , a Mountain in the Ironwood National Forest, Arizona
A pan of the summit of Ragged Top as some senior hikers check the log. Nice winter day.
June 22nd, 2017 Live Astronomy Q&A Session with Prof. Chris Impey
Join us for a LIVE Astronomy question and answer session with Professor Chris Impey from Steward Observatory at the University of Arizona. Ask all of your astronomy questions, from comets to cosmology!
Question Format. Time Question is Asked--Question
0:30--When viewing the eclipse what is the total time from start to finish not just at totality?
1:55--Astronomy seems so advanced that all our major discoveries are coming from very large, or in orbit telescopes. Is there anything left to be discovered from a standard or advanced backyard telescope?
5:06--What are some of the most exciting things and developments to expect in Astronomy over the next few years?
7:23--What is the future of gravitational waves astronomy?
10:10--What new information does the Kepler catalog just released by NASA provide astronomers?
12:53--How long do you expect the Hubble Space Telescope to continue to function?
15:41--Are there jobs out there in astronomy for someone who does not have a master's degree? What advice would you have if so and if not?
17:48--Will it ever be possible to harness gravity?
19:59--How does the James Webb telescope turn around and position itself to observe certain objects?
22:33--How busy is the mirror lab here there at the University of Arizona?
25:43--How do matter and anti-matter annihilate and form 'virtual particles'?
28:46--Will Kepler's new planetary discoveries lead to more money being invested into even more powerful telescopes, something beyond our current tech?
31:08--What is quantum entanglement?
31:08--Could quantum entanglement be used to communicate instantly with a space probe, light years away?
35:22--To date, how far away is the furthest object or event we have ever observed?
38:07--What sees farther, a visual telescope or a radio telescope?
39:51--For astronomers, does time really exist? Can it move backwards?
41:49--Is there a theoretical limit to the useful size of a space based telescope?
44:30--What does it mean when people say the universe is flat? Are they talking about the galactic plane and what does this mean?
47:02--Is Southern Africa a suitable location for land-based telescopes? Are there any already located in this region?
49:45--What are your thoughts about the concept in the question, Is the Universe Conscious?
49:45--Are stars, galaxies and the other astronomical objects 'alive'?
NASA Space Grant Promo
A promotional video for the NASA Space Grant programs at Arizona State University and the University of Arizona.
Interns participate in a host of cutting edge research with faculty and industry mentors while simultaneously giving back to their communities.
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USGS 2017 June Evening Public Lecture
Title: The Effects of Climate Change: A Scientific Pathway Forward
* The frequency of extreme and unpredictable weather events is increasing.
* What are the effects of an increase or decrease in carbon emissions?
* What is scientific research projecting for the future of climate change?
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