Business View Civil and Municipal | February 2021

6 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL FEBRUARY 2021 LION CAPITAL CAMPAIGN TER PHOENIX Dark Sky Association, IDSDC is privately raising capital to construct the 15,000-square-foot, non-profit facility that will be an international attraction benefiting the entire State of Arizona. “The International Dark Sky Discovery Center is an exciting opportunity for students and amateur star-gazers alike,” said Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey. “The center will be another tremendous asset to keep our state at the forefront of STEM education.” Once constructed, IDSDC will feature four distinct educational attractions: a Dark Sky Observatory, Hyperspace Planetarium, Inspiration Theater and an Immersion Zone with interactive exhibits. “Our Dark Sky Observatory will have the largest telescope in the Greater Phoenix area,” said Ted Blank, IDSDC vice president and NASA solar system ambassador. “We will offer public viewing to present breathtaking views of the moon, planets, nebula, galaxies, and other stellar objects.” The observatory’s capabilities for astrophotography and research have already attracted the interest of university leadership. “Arizona State University looks forward to Our Dark Sky Observatory will have the largest telescope in the Greater Phoenix area