Large Aperture Outreach Telescope
Donation protected
Focus LAOT webpage
Focus Astronomy is a privately funded astronomy program based in Phoenix, Arizona. This program provides free, interactive astronomy events to middle school (and higher) students as well as the public. Focus reaches over 15,000 people annually and makes astronomy obtainable to all!
For 2017 Focus is looking to bring a new insturment to light. A telescope that will allow our attendees to experience the night sky like you've never seen it before. Images of galaxies, star clusters and nebulae in bright, stunning detail that only an observatory class telescope can provide. Focus is proud to announce the Large Aperture Outreach Telescope (LAOT).
The LAOT will house a 28" (0.7-meter) primary mirror, this will make the telescope one of the largest mobile outreach telescopes. With its large mirror the telescope will gather 96% more light than our current 20" telescope and 10,000x more light than the human eye! Unlike similar sized telescope we are also taking advantage of today's latest mirror technology. The LAOT primary will be a light weight cellular design to provide fast cooling, to ensure the views are crisp and sharp. In order to keep the eyepiece at a safer and major managable height the mirror will be ground to f/3.3. This will make the eyepiece only 7 feet off the ground when pointed verticle. This is nearly 2 to 3 feet shorter than a standard 28", making it easy for everyone to enjoy, safely!
Focus currently has the glass to make this telescope a reality. We now need to turn the glass into the primary mirror and build the structure that will ultimately make it into a telescope! We are reaching out for support to make this become a reality.
Project Break Down:
Phase 1: Primary Generation: $1500
Phase 2: Primary figuring : $6000
Phase 3: Structure: $2000
Focus Astronomy is a privately funded astronomy program based in Phoenix, Arizona. This program provides free, interactive astronomy events to middle school (and higher) students as well as the public. Focus reaches over 15,000 people annually and makes astronomy obtainable to all!
For 2017 Focus is looking to bring a new insturment to light. A telescope that will allow our attendees to experience the night sky like you've never seen it before. Images of galaxies, star clusters and nebulae in bright, stunning detail that only an observatory class telescope can provide. Focus is proud to announce the Large Aperture Outreach Telescope (LAOT).
The LAOT will house a 28" (0.7-meter) primary mirror, this will make the telescope one of the largest mobile outreach telescopes. With its large mirror the telescope will gather 96% more light than our current 20" telescope and 10,000x more light than the human eye! Unlike similar sized telescope we are also taking advantage of today's latest mirror technology. The LAOT primary will be a light weight cellular design to provide fast cooling, to ensure the views are crisp and sharp. In order to keep the eyepiece at a safer and major managable height the mirror will be ground to f/3.3. This will make the eyepiece only 7 feet off the ground when pointed verticle. This is nearly 2 to 3 feet shorter than a standard 28", making it easy for everyone to enjoy, safely!
Focus currently has the glass to make this telescope a reality. We now need to turn the glass into the primary mirror and build the structure that will ultimately make it into a telescope! We are reaching out for support to make this become a reality.
Project Break Down:
Phase 1: Primary Generation: $1500
Phase 2: Primary figuring : $6000
Phase 3: Structure: $2000
Organizer
Kevin LeGore
Organizer
Phoenix, AZ
