Large Binocular Telescope Interferometer

NExScI provides the solicitation and selection and data archiving for the NASA portion of time on the Large Binocular Telescope Interferometer (LBTI) instrument, mounted on the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT). The LBT is composed of two 8.4m telescopes in a binocular mount, and separated by 14.4 m (center-to-center). The interferometer modes include Nulling at N-band (8-14 microns) and Fizeau imaging at L and M-bands (3-5 microns).

The LBTI is currently under commissioning. Science operations are expected to begin in Fall 2012, starting with the execution of a Key Science program to determine exo-zodi dust levels are nearby Sun-like stars, in support of a future mission to directly detect and spectroscopically characterize exo-Earths.

Proposal Call for LBTI Exozodi Key Science Team Members

NASA solicits proposals to become members of the Large Binocular Telescope Interferometer (LBTI) Exozodi Key Science Team (LBTI-ST). LBTI-ST members will participate in science deliberations, target selection, LBTI observations, data processing and analysis, follow-up observations, and publication in peer-reviewed journals. This proposal call is now closed. Click here for more information about this proposal call.