Explore the site of a new telescope survey that will map the universe in 3D

For a special sneak preview before the official start of observations in early 2020, join scientists, engineers, and others who are working on the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) for an exclusive day of access. DESI, under installation at Kitt Peak National Observatory, will capture the light from tens of millions of distant galaxies to better understand the accelerating expansion of the universe.

This September 13 registration-required event for news media, limited to 20 people, will provide a look inside the 4-meter Mayall Telescope dome that houses DESI, and will highlight its unique capabilities and ambitious observing program.

You will also have an opportunity to meet with DESI project participants to learn about the project and its aims. DESI will use an array of 5,000 automated, swiveling, robotic positioners, each carrying a fiber-optic cable, to individually gather the light from pre-selected space objects. This telescope will be used to assemble the largest 3-D map of the universe.

DESI construction and installation is ongoing, and event participants will also learn about the next milestones toward project completion.

Exclusive Tour for Media: Friday, September 13

To attend the event, please contact Glenn Roberts Jr. at geroberts@lbl.gov or Laurel Kellner at lkellner@lbl.gov for registration information. Please specify whether other members of your media team are also planning to attend this Media Day Event, and also if you'd like to request a one-on-one interview with a DESI scientist.

Please indicate your interest by August 19.

The event will feature a safety briefing and a tour of the site and will last about 4 hours. Approved visitors must arrange their own transportation to the Kitt Peak National Observatory site.

Kitt Peak National Observatory is about 53 miles from Tucson International Airport.

More information about DESI:

-Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument website: https://www.desi.lbl.gov/

-DESI videos: https://www.desi.lbl.gov/videos/

-3 Sky Surveys Completed in Preparation for Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (https://newscenter.lbl.gov/2019/07/08/3-sky-surveys-completed-in-preparation-for-dark-energy-spectroscopic-instrument/), July 8, 2019

-Dark Energy Instrument's Lenses See the Night Sky for the First Time (https://newscenter.lbl.gov/2019/04/03/dark-energy-instruments-lenses-see-night-sky-first-time/), April 3, 2019

-Solving the Dark Energy Mystery: A New Assignment for a 45-Year-Old Telescope (https://newscenter.lbl.gov/2018/02/12/solving-the-dark-energy-mystery-a-new-assignment-for-a-45-year-old-telescope/), Feb. 12, 2018