Big telescope installed in Fountain Hills Dark Sky Discovery Center, scheduled to open in 2026

The American Lung Association says Maricopa County has some of the worst air quality in the country. And as the Phoenix area keeps growing, some are contending with the struggles that come from another kind of contamination: light pollution.

Fountain Hills is working on an initiative focused on keeping the lights turned off at night.

In 2018, Fountain Hills was designated as one of a handful of International Dark Sky Communities. Now it’s working on what’s called a Dark Sky Discovery Center in its civic area.

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And last week, they just put in a large telescope in the building still under construction. The mirror is more than 27 inches in diameter.

"We are hoping this kind of education kind of spills out into the surrounding area so other communities can learn how to preserve our dark skies," said discovery center board president Joe Bill.

He says the telescope will be open to the public but also available to researchers throughout the world.

In its entirety, the center will also have a planetarium, lecture theater and exhibit hall.

“We are being followed internationally by people around the world watching our progress. Because we are on the front edge of a global movement to preserve dark skies.”

Bill said the center is slated to open the middle of next year.