Mason Gets Very Big Telescope

Locals now have a chance to see space through the lens of a very big telescope.

George Mason University installed a Ritchey-Chretien 32" diameter telescope last week, using a crane to lift the pieces as high as nine stories and onto the observatory tower in Research I.

It is the largest on-campus telescope in the region, said Tara Laskowski of Mason's Office of Media and Public Relations.

The telescope will be fully functional this summer, and will allow faculty and students to conduct research in planetary and atmospheric studies.

In the fall, the community will also be able to take advantage of this technology with night-time observing sessions twice a month, weather permitting. Mason plans to use it in summer science camps and for in-service professional development for teachers.

Even within the light-polluted skies of Fairfax, researchers will be able to search for planets beyond our solar system, search for supernovae and study planetary atmospheres. The telescope will also allow researchers to conduct studies of stellar surfaces and interiors with a high resolution spectrograph.

Click here for astronomy observing sessions open to the public.