Steward Observatory Mirror Lab

Not at all what I was expecting when I first saw this place online. The majority of the tour was spent watching an informative video and listening to the redundant tour guide. I was literally falling asleep. The actual tour of the lab itself probably lasted no more than 30 minutes. The only things we saw were the heater used to fuse the glass and the machine used to move it. No mirrors unfortunately. I was pretty disappointed given the fact that I paid $15. Save your money and see it online.

After going to Kitt Peak and the Mt Lemmon Observatories, we wanted to complete our knowledge base by visiting the mirror lab. Paid $20 for a ticket. The tour was a bit different. Spent time watching an informational video, which showed the process. Liked watching the glass melt on that video, that was good. Then saw the "plant" where they worked. It was okay, and probably would be more interesting for someone who wants to know truly the ins and outs of making a telescope mirror, down to the details of the nuts and bolts. I would not pay $20 for this tour if I had known, and would not recommend it, especially comparing it to the value received doing tours at the observatories.

I thought owning a mountaintop in Chile would finally eliminate my feelings of social inferiority, until I realized that all the cool mountaintops in Chile were home to massive, multi-mirror telescopes, allowing humanity to broaden our experience of the universe. I did a little research and learned that all the best telescopes are made right here in Tucson, in the Steward Observatory Mirror Lab, conveniently located under the bleachers at U of A football stadium, enabling me to take in a game under the world's most ridiculously ginormous video monitor when I stopped by to check on my mirror.I couldn't be more happy with the professionalism, creativity, and service at the Mirror Lab. The dedicated scientists, engineers, and technicians were able to build my Ludicrously Monstrous Ginormous Telescope (LMGT) in only 14 years, at a very reasonable cost of $22 million dollars a mirror. With a total of 7 mirrors, this telescope cost a mere $154 million dollars. A bargain, really, considering that each mirror has a 24 ft. diameter and weighs upwards of 20 tons. Would you believe that international shipping was free? This is a fast, friendly team of professionals dedicated to the mission and designing, casting, grinding, and polishing insanely large chunks of glass. Plus they have hella cool equipment, including a furnace the size of my first apartment and a magic cart that floats unspeakably heavy objects across the lab on a cushion of air. It was a delight to work with this facility. Walking into the lab feels like entering the film 2001, except there's gravity and the computers don't try to kill you. They're just regular computers.The recently finished product is equally delightful. I doubt that there is any surface on earth as shiny and free from imperfection as my LMGT. It is hypnotically smooth. Sometimes I cannot help but get down on my knees and lick it, it's so perfectly polished. Now the heavens are mine. Instead of watching TV, I spend my nights spying on the distant and unsuspecting cosmos. Stars are born. Stars die. Galaxies crash into each other. Matter and energy are sucked into, and spewed out of, black holes. Rival gangs of astronomers fight each other for the privilege of attending my star parties. It's better than a soap opera, really. I highly recommend that anyone interested in acquiring a really huge telescope, mirror, or piece of polished glass patronize the Steward Observatory Mirror Lab.

Really enjoyed this tour! Learned so much about astronomy and telescope mirrors. Impressive to have such a facility in my own backyard

Get your reservation and take an in-depth tour of this amazing production facility. How to cook 8 meters of glass into a giant mirror. Wow!If you have kids who like math or science, this is the place to take them to help them understand what engineering is all about. A wonderful place to expose them to the possibilities in engineering careers.We had a really nice tour guide who patiently answered so many questions of all levels.