We toured Mt. Hopkins today and saw the 6.5 meter MMT telescope as well as several smaller ones that aren't usually available to the public. The MMT was awesome, bigger than any telescope I've seen before, and the whole building it's housed in rotates to track the sky instead of just the dome. We got to watch a video of how they converted the old multiple-mirror telescope into the single 6.5m telescope there today, and we were all amazed at how the semi drivers were able to haul the massive mirror up the narrow, winding, steep road to the top of the mountain. Watching the movie last night definitely helped put it in perspective for us, considering how utterly impossible they thought a 200-inch telescope was just a few decades ago.
I have been almost completely unproductive during our brief free time after we returned to the hotel and haven't worked on either the Saturn data or my own star data today. I did edit a couple pictures and will be adding them to today's and yesterday's blog, so I guess that's something. We just found out that we can't go to the mirror lab tomorrow, and I'm pretty bummed because I was excited to see where they make mirrors like those we've been using. I'm sure we'll find something else fun to do, though.
The following pictures are from the drive up/down the mountain and the MMT telescope. Since we don't have to leave at 7:30 this morning, I'm going to try to catch up with sorting my pictures before heading to bed.
Jenny
I would love to purchase a bunch of hexagonal mirrors to coat a room or two of my house with. I feel that a room like that would fill my peers and loved ones with awe.
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