We are fortunate to have Dr. Jeffrey Hall, director of the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, presenting at our Community Center at 2 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 15. He will be talking about the Discovery Channel Telescope that raises seven stories above its foundation and is located in a dark sky site in the Coconino National Forest, 40 miles southeast of Flagstaff near Happy Jack.

Costing over $50 million, the predominantly privately funded project was an amazing feat of research and engineering involving a partnership with Discovery Communications, Lowell Observatory, Boston University, University of Maryland, University of Toledo and Northern Arizona University. The final polishing of the 4.3-meter, 6,700-pound mirror was completed by the University of Arizona’s College of Optical Sciences. It is owned and operated by Lowell Observatory and became fully operational in 2015.

You can stop by the Community Center or call 480-816-5200 to register, just reference course #2968.