Italy Builds World’s Largest Telescope for Mount Graham Observatory
The construction of the world’s largest telescope is in an advanced stage, anticipated to observe its first stars in 2003. In fact, it is more accurately described as a pre-assembly rather than a final construction—essentially a complete build of the support and metallic parts, excluding the lenses, which will then need to be fully disassembled where possible to facilitate transportation to its final location, where it will be reassembled and completed with the optical lenses. This is a truly extraordinary and highly significant project because, although this telescope will be positioned in America—specifically at the Mount Graham Observatory in Arizona, at 3,200 meters above sea level on Emerald Peak—the construction is being carried out in Italy.
The construction and the team involved
Highly qualified technicians and experts at the **Ansaldo – Camozzi** workshops in Milan are involved in building this project, familiarly called “LBT“, the **Large Binocular Telescope**. The most significant interest for us from Brescia is that this renowned **National Company** was acquired by the **Gruppo Camozzi** just over a month ago, becoming part of those companies that over the years have been led by Attilio with the collaboration of brothers, sons, and nephews.
An achievement pride of Brescia’s entrepreneurship, this acquisition opens new horizons and experiences for the company. In the same facilities of **Ansaldo**, construction is underway on the world’s largest nuclear power plant steam generator, but that will be a subject for a future update.
Of course, there is great satisfaction within the Camozzi company regarding this project. Attilio himself has expressed this, seeing immense possibilities in this acquisition for gigantic achievements and, above all, worldwide recognition of Italy’s professional competence and business capability.
The structure and international collaborations
The mechanical structure of this telescope is impressive: its height, from base to summit, approaches 30 meters—roughly the height of a nine-story building. During our visit to **Ansaldo**, we were accompanied not only by Mr. Attilio Camozzi himself but also by **Ing. Gianfranco Castelli**, CEO of **Ansaldo-Camozzi**, and **Ing. Luciano Maglietti** from the **Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory**.
Miglietta’s presence was constant, as this project is the result of collaboration between the Italian astronomical community through Arcetri, two universities in Arizona, the **Max Planck Institute für Extraterrestrische** in Germany, and the **Ohio State University**.
The entry of **Ohio University**, in addition to other partner institutions, provided the final and essential impetus for the launch of this **Project**, which began its initial construction phases in 1998 with the awarding of the contract to **Ansaldo** in Milan. Italy was responsible not only for the mechanical construction itself but also for all structures necessary for telescope movement, such as the hydraulic system for movement, built by **Tomelieri** of Verona.
At the **Arcetri Observatory**, the delicate task of constructing the secondary mirror was assigned. This telescope, with “two eyes,” includes two lenses with a diameter of 8.4 meters, weighing 16 tons each, capable of delivering unprecedented performance.
Two lenses—or monolithic mirrors—separated for manufacturing, utilizing over twenty tons of silicate of carbon, which can be used either together or separately, will give the telescope a resolution equivalent to that of a single mirror with a diameter of 22.8 meters and a light-gathering capacity comparable to an 11.8-meter diameter mirror.
Many phenomena will be observable with the LBT, such as “the most remote depths of the cosmos,” as **Miglietta** explains, “searching for clues about galaxy formation, or observing Jupiter orbiting the Sun, even from a distance of 35 light-years.”
Finally, the last challenge will be transporting the enormous components. “A client’s problem,” jokes Engineer Castelli: by land to Marghera and then by water to the final destination in Arizona.
