EAC Photo: Educational visits to the MGIO on Mt. Graham resume this Saturday.
By Lori Dugan/EA
THATCHER — Eastern Arizona College is excited to announce that educational visits to the Mt. Graham International Observatory Telescopes will commence on May 18 and continue into the fall season, subject to road conditions.
“We held a special class earlier this month to train our docents,” said Paul Anger, EA Discovery Park director. “And I am pleased to say that we have a great group of well-trained volunteers to lead the tours this year.”
Information on the tours of the world-leading telescopes located at the top of Mt. Graham can be found at www.eac.edu. Click on “get tickets” and scroll down to “Mt. Graham International Observatory Tours.” All reservations are completed via the webpage.
The tours are limited to 10 visitors each week. Admission is $75 per person, and $60 for seniors over 65, veterans, and youth aged 12-18. The full-day tour begins at Discovery Park with an orientation and video about the tours. Participants will then load into our comfortable passenger vans for the trip up the mountain, where the first stop will be the Columbine Ranger Station for lunch and an opportunity to learn the history of Mt. Graham.
After lunch, the group will travel up the access road to the telescopes and begin the tours with the Submillimeter Radio Telescope (SMT), which is an integral part of the “Event Horizon Telescope” project joining a global network of radio telescopes. Visitors will then see the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope (VATT), featuring the world’s most perfect optical mirror, followed by the several floors of the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT), the largest and most powerful telescope in the world. Tours begin at 9 a.m. and return to Discovery Park around 4:30 p.m.
Those interested in the tours must be in good health and able to stand for extended periods, climb stairs, and function at high altitudes (10,500 feet). For more information, tour dates, and health warnings, visit www.eac.edu and click “get tickets.”
Eastern Arizona College is committed to delivering high-quality education and nurturing a community of learning and discovery. Discovery Park offers unique educational experiences, including tours of the Mt. Graham International Observatory telescopes, the Graham County Historical Society’s display of historic artifacts, the “History of Astronomy” gallery, and the “Polaris” shuttle simulator with tours of the solar system. Additionally, visitors can explore the Gila Watershed Partnership greenhouse, a world-class ranarium, and so much more.
