Lowell Observatory technology to be telecast on the Discovery channels. The primary mirror of the Discovery Channel Telescope will be in diameter, with an uncommon meniscus design for such a large mirror. This mirror was ground and polished into its parabolic shape at the Optical Fabrication and Engineering Facility of the College of Optical Sciences of the University of Arizona (in Tucson, Arizona). Lowell Observatory's astronomers conduct research on a wide range of solar system and astrophysical topics using ground-based, airborne, and space-based telescopes. Among the many current programs are a search for near-Earth asteroids, a survey of the Kuiper Belt beyond
William Lowell Putnam III January 5, 2014 at the age of 97. He served as sole trustee of Lowell Observatory from 1987 to 2013. During his tenure, the observatory built the Steele Visitor Center, added the Friends of Lowell membership program, constructed the Discovery Channel Telescope, and began construction on the Putnam Collection Center. Putnam died on December 20, 2014, aged 90. William Lowell Putnam III William Lowell Putnam III (October 25, 1924 – December 20, 2014) was an alpinist, author and retired broadcasting executive. He was Trustee Emeritus of the Lowell Observatory, a private astronomical research facility. He was the son of politician