The Discovery Channel Telescope (DCT) is a 4.3 m (170 in) aperture telescope built by Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona and The Discovery Channel. DCT was built at a dark sky site in the Coconino National Forest near Happy Jack, Arizona. Happy Jack is located at an elevation of 7,740 ft (2,360 m) and is approximately 65 km (40 mi) south-south-east of Flagstaff. The project is a partnership between Discovery Communications and Lowell Observatory. In its initial implementation, the telescope will cost approximately US$53 million. The telescope will significantly augment Lowell Observatory’s observational capability and enable pioneering studies in a number of important research areas.
Final construction of the telescope was completed by February of 2012 and first light images were achieved in April 2012.
Read more about Discovery Channel Telescope: Telescope, Construction, Research, Comparisons
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