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National Optical Astronomy Observatory

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in the form of images and astronomical catalogs. Rubin Observatory will have a dedicated wide field imager, and the telescope will cover the entire sky visible from the southern hemisphere approximately every week. By repeating the observations over and over for ten years, the Rubin Observatory will produce a very deep image of the sky, but it will also detect large numbers of astronomical objects which vary in brightness daily or on longer time scales. Rubin Observatory scientists will analyze, or "mine", the LSST data rather than go to the telescope to make their own observations.
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This System goal was further reiterated by the NSF Senior Review in 2007 when it reviewed the full suite of NSF ground-based astronomy facilities. NOAO continued to work on behalf of the community to effectively shape the System and gain steady, state-of-the-art research capabilities of all apertures
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NOAO has worked very hard with the US community in the ensuing years in developing this System. A clear success story is the public access to non-federal large aperture telescopes through the NSF funded and NOAO managed Telescope System Instrumentation Program (TSIP). This program, accomplished with
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NOAO was a founding partner in the Vera C. Rubin Observatory project. Rubin Observatory is an 8m class telescope which will change the way some astronomers do science. More like a large physics program, Rubin Observatory will run its own experiment and provide data to the Rubin Observatory community
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Rubin Observatory is currently in the pre-construction phase, with first light targeted for 2023. During this phase, AURA is managing for design and development of the Rubin Observatory telescope system and site facilities. Rubin Observatory will be located on Cerro Pachón in Chile, near the Gemini
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Gemini is the only facility available to all US astronomers on a permanent basis for large aperture science. Large apertures are typically taken to be between 6.5m and 10m. Gemini provides near infrared, mid infrared (10–20 micrometer), and optical imaging and spectroscopy in both the southern and
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U.S. ground-based optical and infrared facilities...should...be viewed by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the astronomical community as a single integrated system drawing on both federal and nonfederal funding sources. Effective national organizations are essential to coordinate, and to
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Astronomy and Astrophysics in the New Millennium, Astronomy and Astrophysics Survey Committee, Board on Physics and Astronomy–Space Studies Board, Commission on Physical Sciences, Mathematics, and Applications, National Research Council, National Academy Press, Washington,
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A future major capability for the US system is an Extremely Large Telescope with diameter up to 30 meters. Two private consortia are currently working on such projects which may be operational before the end of the decade. These are the
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NOAO operated world class research telescopes in both the northern and southern hemispheres. These telescopes, located at Kitt Peak and Cerro Tololo in the US and Chile respectively, remain in operation under the auspices of the NSF’s
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though observations of external galaxies which showed that the galaxies rotated faster than they should have if the motion were due only to the mass in stars seen in visible light images.
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Kitt Peak is the National Observatory of the United States, in contrast to the various benefactor and privately funded telescopes. The largest optical telescope at Kitt Peak is the
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ensure the success and efficiency of, these systems. Universities and independent observatories should work with the national organizations to ensure the success of these systems.
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Marois, C.; MacIntosh, B.; Barman, T.; Zuckerman, B.; Song, I.; Patience, J.; Lafreniere, D.; Doyon, R. (2008). "Direct Imaging of Multiple Planets Orbiting the Star HR 8799".
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The observatory was established in 1958, and its largest telescope, the Nicholas Mayall 4m was dedicated in 1973. The Mayall played a key role in the discovery of
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the enthusiastic support of the US non federal observatories, supplies the broad US community with some 70 nights of observing time per year.
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A new wide field imager working at near infrared wavelengths (NEWFIRM) has been deployed to advance studies of galactic star formation,
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on Astronomy and Astrophysics in the coming decade. Among other high priorities, the committee responsible for the report concluded:
504: 49: 352: 228: 429:. These facilities are already making an impact. For example, Gemini astronomers, along with their collaborators at the 10m 746: 154: 206: 302: 287: 221: 599: 446: 240: 582: 556: 552: 430: 627: 310: 668: 576: 572: 306: 87: 63: 832: 617: 588: 844: 808: 692: 658: 605: 404: 392: 325: 236: 684: 370: 369:, US. The mountain, Kitt Peak, is part of the tribal lands of the Native American people the 796: 772: 676: 423: 279: 194: 517: 611: 426: 366: 340: 339:(SOAR). SOAR concentrates on high angular resolution observations and will soon deploy an 328:, an undertaking to image a large part of the sky to faint light levels, detecting galaxy 217: 83: 719: 282:. The CTIO telescopes are located some 70 km inland in the foothills of the Chilean 672: 324:
in Chicago, USA, and will be operated by CTIO. This instrument was built to execute the
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30 by the 4-meter (158 inch) aperture Mayall telescope, a ground-based optical telescope
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One of Gemini's strengths is high angular resolution imaging accomplished through
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as a function of look back time to shed light on the nature of dark energy.
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in Chile. On October 1, 2019, NOAO merged its operations with the
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CTIO has a base and office facility in the seaside town of
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The Blanco 4m played the central role in the discovery of
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NOAO also manages US participation in the international
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From the Ground Up: Balancing the NSG Astronomy Program
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NOAO was founded in 1984 to join the operations of the
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Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy
113: 105: 97: 79: 71: 56: 309:in 1995) which employs a wide-field of view CCD ( 189:national observatory for ground-based nighttime 535: 395:, and the structure and evolution of galaxies. 220:, were co-located with the headquarters of the 268:Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) 8: 525:At the beginning of the new millennium, the 456:and SOAR telescopes. It will be operated by 441:Vera C. Rubin Observatory (LSST survey) 335:CTIO operates, and is a partner in the 4.1m 161:(which a different government organization). 33: 888:Buildings and structures in Tucson, Arizona 414:Gemini Observatory on Cerro Pachon in Chile 460:and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. 343:module to help support such observations. 62: 48: 39: 32: 740:https://www.nsf.gov/dir/index.jsp?org=MPS 662: 505:Learn how and when to remove this message 337:Southern Astrophysical Research Telescope 118:https://legacy.noirlab.edu/about-noao.php 409: 375: 292: 751: 641: 595:Other Optical Observatories in Arizona 297:Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory 274:Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory 233:Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory 361:Sign at Kitt Peak National Observatory 179:National Optical Astronomy Observatory 34:National Optical Astronomy Observatory 873:Astronomical observatories in Arizona 581:Carnegie Institution of Washington's 568:Other Optical Observatories in Chile 521:The 4-meter aperture Mayall telescope 476:This section may contain information 347:Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO) 7: 878:Astronomical observatories in Chile 27:United States national observatory 25: 399:NOAO Gemini Science Center (NGSC) 155:4 meter aperture Mayall reflector 75:National Science Foundation, AURA 850: 838: 826: 814: 802: 790: 778: 766: 754: 467: 125: 547:for open, merit based science. 301:Telescopes at CTIO include the 380:Kitt Peak National Observatory 353:Kitt Peak National Observatory 231:in the United States with the 229:Kitt Peak National Observatory 1: 527:National Academy of Sciences 883:National Science Foundation 207:National Science Foundation 904: 444: 350: 303:Victor M. Blanco Telescope 271: 222:National Solar Observatory 624:World Wide Observatories 600:Large Binocular Telescope 482:to the article's subject. 447:Vera C. Rubin Observatory 241:Vera C. Rubin Observatory 212:NOAO was operated by the 136: 123: 47: 38: 583:Las Campanas Observatory 557:Giant Magellan Telescope 305:(named after astronomer 131:Related media on Commons 681:10.1126/science.1166585 553:Thirty Meter Telescope 540: 522: 431:W. M. Keck Observatory 419:northern hemispheres. 415: 381: 362: 298: 174: 162: 57:Alternative names 628:List of observatories 520: 480:important or relevant 413: 379: 365:KPNO is located near 360: 330:large scale structure 311:Charge-coupled device 296: 168: 152: 577:La Silla Observatory 573:Very Large Telescope 487:improve this section 307:Victor Manuel Blanco 673:2008Sci...322.1348M 657:(5906): 1348–1352. 618:Steward Observatory 589:Magellan telescopes 35: 606:Lowell Observatory 523: 416: 405:Gemini Observatory 382: 363: 326:Dark Energy Survey 299: 237:Gemini Observatory 175: 163: 515: 514: 507: 147: 146: 16:(Redirected from 895: 855: 854: 843: 842: 841: 831: 830: 829: 819: 818: 807: 806: 805: 795: 794: 783: 782: 781: 771: 770: 769: 759: 758: 757: 750: 722: 717: 711: 707: 701: 700: 666: 646: 510: 503: 499: 496: 490: 471: 470: 463: 424:laser guide star 280:La Serena, Chile 140:edit on Wikidata 129: 67: 66: 52: 43: 36: 21: 903: 902: 898: 897: 896: 894: 893: 892: 863: 862: 861: 849: 839: 837: 827: 825: 813: 803: 801: 789: 779: 777: 767: 765: 755: 753: 745: 731: 726: 725: 718: 714: 708: 704: 648: 647: 643: 638: 612:MMT Observatory 565: 511: 500: 494: 491: 484: 472: 468: 449: 443: 427:adaptive optics 401: 367:Tucson, Arizona 355: 349: 341:adaptive optics 276: 270: 253: 218:Tucson, Arizona 143: 61: 31: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 901: 899: 891: 890: 885: 880: 875: 865: 864: 860: 859: 847: 835: 823: 811: 799: 787: 775: 763: 743: 742: 737: 730: 729:External links 727: 724: 723: 712: 702: 640: 639: 637: 634: 633: 632: 631: 630: 622: 621: 620: 614: 608: 602: 593: 592: 591: 585: 579: 564: 561: 529:published its 513: 512: 475: 473: 466: 445:Main article: 442: 439: 400: 397: 371:Tohono O'odham 351:Main article: 348: 345: 272:Main article: 269: 266: 252: 249: 243:to form NSF's 145: 144: 137: 134: 133: 121: 120: 115: 111: 110: 107: 103: 102: 99: 95: 94: 81: 77: 76: 73: 69: 68: 58: 54: 53: 45: 44: 29: 26: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 900: 889: 886: 884: 881: 879: 876: 874: 871: 870: 868: 858: 853: 848: 846: 836: 834: 824: 822: 817: 812: 810: 800: 798: 793: 788: 786: 776: 774: 764: 762: 752: 748: 741: 738: 736: 733: 732: 728: 721: 716: 713: 706: 703: 698: 694: 690: 686: 682: 678: 674: 670: 665: 660: 656: 652: 645: 642: 635: 629: 626: 625: 623: 619: 615: 613: 609: 607: 603: 601: 597: 596: 594: 590: 586: 584: 580: 578: 574: 570: 569: 567: 566: 562: 560: 558: 554: 548: 544: 539: 534: 532: 528: 519: 509: 506: 498: 488: 483: 481: 474: 465: 464: 461: 459: 453: 448: 440: 438: 436: 432: 428: 425: 420: 412: 408: 406: 398: 396: 394: 389: 387: 378: 374: 372: 368: 359: 354: 346: 344: 342: 338: 333: 331: 327: 323: 319: 314: 312: 308: 304: 295: 291: 289: 285: 281: 275: 267: 265: 263: 262:spectrometers 259: 250: 248: 246: 242: 238: 234: 230: 225: 223: 219: 215: 210: 208: 204: 200: 196: 192: 188: 187:United States 184: 180: 172: 167: 160: 156: 151: 141: 135: 132: 128: 122: 119: 116: 112: 108: 104: 100: 96: 93: 89: 85: 82: 78: 74: 70: 65: 59: 55: 51: 46: 42: 37: 19: 833:Solar System 715: 705: 654: 650: 644: 549: 545: 541: 536: 524: 501: 495:January 2021 492: 485:Please help 477: 454: 450: 421: 417: 402: 390: 383: 364: 334: 315: 300: 288:Elqui Valley 277: 254: 226: 211: 182: 178: 176: 72:Organization 845:Spaceflight 809:Outer space 386:dark matter 318:dark energy 191:ultraviolet 98:Established 88:Pima County 30:Observatory 867:Categories 636:References 251:Telescopes 185:) was the 60:NOAO  797:Education 773:Astronomy 697:206516630 664:0811.2606 571:Europe's 393:cosmology 203:astronomy 169:Image of 689:19008415 563:See also 322:Fermilab 239:and the 201:(OUVIR) 199:infrared 80:Location 821:Science 761:Arizona 747:Portals 669:Bibcode 651:Science 458:NOIRLab 435:HR 8799 258:NOIRLab 245:NOIRLab 195:optical 114:Website 92:Arizona 695:  687:  575:& 531:report 205:. The 124:  106:Closed 84:Tucson 857:Stars 785:Chile 693:S2CID 659:arXiv 284:Andes 171:Abell 138:[ 735:AURA 710:D.C. 685:PMID 616:The 610:The 604:The 598:The 587:The 555:and 478:not 183:NOAO 177:The 159:NASA 109:2019 101:1984 18:NOAO 677:doi 655:322 869:: 691:. 683:. 675:. 667:. 653:. 437:. 290:. 264:. 247:. 90:, 86:, 749:: 699:. 679:: 671:: 661:: 508:) 502:( 497:) 493:( 489:. 197:- 193:- 181:( 142:] 20:)

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NOAO


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4 meter aperture Mayall reflector
NASA

Abell
United States
ultraviolet
optical
infrared
astronomy
National Science Foundation
Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy
Tucson, Arizona
National Solar Observatory
Kitt Peak National Observatory
Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory
Gemini Observatory
Vera C. Rubin Observatory
NOIRLab

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