Ohio State’s involvement in the Mount Graham telescope project continues to escalate after the successful casting of the first mirror.Patrick S. Osmer, OSU professor of astronomy, said he was in Arizona during the casting process which was a crucial step in the project’s future.The casting process is complete and the form of the first mirror is set, Osmer said.’We are very pleased so far,’ he said. ‘It was a tremendous success, at this stage, to complete the casting. Polishing and fabricating the mirror is the next largest milestone.’The Mount Graham telescope will be the world’s largest single-mount telescope in the world, Osmer said. It consists of two large mirrors that are 27.5 feet in diameter and weigh about 17 tons each.OSU recently continued involvement in the Mount Graham telescope project after withdrawing in 1991, Osmer said.’We have been trying to figure out how we can be a part of this project, financially, since last spring,’ he said. ‘We have drawn certain sources of support so we can gain the portion of the telescope that we want.’Paul Martini, a graduate student in astronomy, said the telescope project is a unique opportunity for the university.’I feel it’s a great opportunity for the astronomy program to move forward to the next level,’ Martini said. ‘I am really happy that we are involved with the project.’Osmer said that OSU already owns 4 percent of the shares in the project, based on participation before they dropped out of the project, and plan to build on that share. ‘Our goal is to have 12.5 percent of the shares in the telescope project,’ Osmer said. ‘Furthermore, we received an award from the Research Corporation of Tuscan for one-third of their shares which will bring OSU’s involvement to approximately 16.5 percent of the shares of the telescope.’The telescope will give scientists great detail ability from the huge light-gathering mirrors and break-through technology, Osmer said.’We will be able to get details on distant objects,’ he said. ‘We can work out the physical nature of these objects from this telescope.’Martini also said the department’s involvement in the project will have an impact on the undergraduate education at OSU.’Having a world class telescope like the LBT (Large Binocular Telescope) will attract the best faculty in the country, so the undergraduate courses will really benefit from the project,’ Martini said. ‘The telescope will give the OSU astronomy program the competitive edge it needs.’ ‘With the telescope, our goal is to have our astronomy program be in the top ten in the country,’ Osmer said.