Pushing his way to the front of the crowd gathered around the SOuthern Astrophysical Research Telescope, or SOAR, observation room, eighth-grader Keval Patel fired questions at tour guide and astronomy Professor Megan Donahue.
Patel, a science enthusiast, jumped at the chance to attend the Saturday evening dedication of the telescope after his teacher got sick and asked him to go in his place.
He and his mother drove more than one hour from their home in Livonia to see the event.
The telescope, located on the western edge of the Andes Mountains in Chile, was a $43 million shared project between the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the National Optical Astronomy Observatory and several universities from Brazil.
MSU's contribution of $6 million and a $1.6 million custom-built Spartan Infrared Camera ensure MSU researchers 40 viewing nights a year.
MSU scientists will be able to operate the telescope from the remote control observation room in the Biomedical and Physical Sciences Building.
At the ceremony, Patel and others viewed pictures of the telescope and the infrared camera, which, when finished, will capture light invisible to the naked eye.
MSU President M. Peter McPherson and Provost Lou Anna Simon were among several speakers to address the visitors.
"One of the terrific things about this program is that it builds on having access to cutting-edge knowledge," Simon said. "It was purposely done in the new building so that this extraordinary science could be readily available for students."
McPherson said he was most impressed by the telescope's ability to look to the past.
"When you're looking through the telescope, you're looking back 13 billion years in time," McPherson said.
Many hope the observation room will draw elementary school children on field trips and inspire them to take interest in science.
"Many of the individuals that will come through this building in the years to come may make the next big discovery because this experience turned them on to science," Simon said. "And we desperately need in our country more of that passion about science."
During the presentation, a black curtain was dropped to reveal, through a wall of windows, a small room of computers, TV screens and a picture of the telescope.
As spectators toured the room and asked questions about how the telescope would work, none were more curious than Patel.
Physics and Astronomy Department Chairman Wolfgang Bauer welcomed the curiosity and hoped the telescope would provoke the imaginations of many visitors in the future.
"Five thousand students take classes in this building," Bauer said.
"If this inspires a few to ask questions, then having the observing room has enriched everyone."
