Mount Graham

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Large Binocular Telescope on Mount Graham, Arizona.

Mount Graham is a mountain in southeastern Arizona in the United States. It is the highest mountain in the Pinaleno Mountains. The mountain reaches 10,720 feet (3267 meters) in height, attaining the highest elevation in Graham County, and is home to some of the clearest skies in the world. It is home to the Mount Graham International Observatory area, where multiple organizations have set up large telescopes in a few separate observatories.

The United States Congress authorized construction of observatories on the mountain in 1988, but there has been outcry from some Native American groups, who consider the site to be sacred. Environmental groups, including the Sierra Club also opposed the construction projects on Mount Graham as the summit was thought to be one of the few remaining habitats of the Mount Graham Red Squirrel. Astronomers working in the area often faced protest and the threat of physical violence. Acts of sabotage were also threatened, but most of the protests remained peaceful.