Scientists and astronomers at the University of Utah are simply extatic, given the fact that, during an upcoming November 11 symposium, they will officially inaugurate their new research telescope, located in the southern part of Utah. The Willard L. Eccles Observatory is a 32-inch reflecting telescope that the university plans to endow with remote-control capabilities. The team wants to make the instrument available for science from the UU Salt Lake City campus, located more than 250 miles away. The first image WEO captured was an edge-on view of the spiral galaxy NGC 891.

UU Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy Wayne Springer has been the leader of the new project, which has seen the construction of the new observatory. The instrument itself has been built by DFM Engineering. The entire structure is located at an altitude of about 9,600 feet (2,930 meters) on Frisco Peak, near Milford, Utah.

During the inauguration ceremony of the observatory, also known as the telescope seeing the “first light,” the scientists decided to go for an accessible target, so as to demonstrate the fine capabilities that the reflecting instrument had. The image came out in high detail, even though not all calibrations had yet been completed at the time.

According to Springer, the construction of the new telescope was financed from several sources, including some $600,000 from the Willard L. Eccles Foundation, an additional $160,000 from the Ezekiel R. and Edna W. Dumke Foundation, some $40,000 from the university itself, and another $60,000 that have yet to be raised. UU is, at this point, in the process of applying for an additional, $300,000 grant from the US National Science Foundation (NSF), which it hopes to use in order to make the WEO remote-controlled. Springer expects to have this capability implemented at the site until the end of 2010.

The idea for the instrument came in 2006, and now, just three years later, it stands completed atop Frisco Peak, the first light already having been achieved. For the next few months, astronomers in charge with operating the device will calibrate it according to needs, and will ensure that all the equipment attached to it is functioning properly and at full capacity. The first real scientific observations will most likely take place in spring 2010, Springer reveals. “I'm very excited about the possibilities with an observatory located on a mountaintop in a region with dark skies. We will certainly utilize the facility for education of students and for public outreach opportunities,” the expert concludes.