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Press Releases


Neutron Star Merger in the Early Universe

Science Release: 26 July 2022 — noirlab2218

Gemini Telescopes Help Uncover Origins of Castaway Gamma-Ray Bursts

A number of mysterious gamma-ray bursts appear as lonely flashes of intense energy far from any obvious galactic home, raising questions about their true origins and distances. Using data from some of the most powerful telescopes on Earth and in space, including the twin Gemini telescopes, astronomers may have finally found their true origins — a population of distant galaxies, some nearly 10 billion light-years away.

The two GHOST spectra

Organization Release: 20 July 2022 — noirlab2217

Gemini’s GHOST Captures Exquisite First Light Observations of a Bright, Chemically Rich Star

Gemini South, one of the world’s most productive and powerful optical-infrared telescopes, received a major capability boost with the successful installation of a new high-resolution spectrograph called GHOST constructed by an international consortium. This cutting-edge scientific instrument will expand our understanding of the earliest stars, the chemical fingerprints of distant planetary systems, and the formation and evolution of galaxies. Gemini South in Chile is one half of the International Gemini Observatory, operated by NSF’s NOIRLab.

Teen Astronomy Cafe — To-Go! icon

Organization Release: 14 July 2022 — noirlab2216

NSF’s NOIRLab Launches “Teen Astronomy Café — To Go!”

NSF's NOIRLab’s Teen Astronomy Café educational program is proud to present its newest initiative: Teen Astronomy Café — To Go! This online, free program provides complete digital education packages, aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards, suitable for informal use by students alone and by classroom educators. Using science-grade data actively engages students and encourages them to think and act like scientists. Five ‘Instant Packs’ are now available, each focusing on a different astronomy research topic.

Burned out area on South West ridge of Kitt Peak National Observatory on 18 June 2022

Organization Release: 13 July 2022 — noirlab2213

Contreras Fire Reaches Kitt Peak National Observatory

The Contreras Fire reached the Kitt Peak National Observatory during the early morning of Friday 17 June 2022. We are working with the firefighters at the site to assess the damage and will share details about the facilities as we learn more. We remain in an active fire situation with rapidly changing conditions.

Illustration of an ultracool dwarf with a companion white dwarf

Science Release: 7 July 2022 — noirlab2215

Citizen Scientist Leads Discovery of 34 Ultracool Dwarf Binaries Using Archive at NSF’s NOIRLab

How often do stars live alone? For brown dwarfs — objects that straddle the boundary between the most massive planets and the smallest stars — astronomers need to uncover more examples of their companions to find out. Ace citizen scientist Frank Kiwy has done just that by using the Astro Data Lab science platform at NSF’s NOIRLab to discover 34 new ultracool dwarf binary systems in the Sun's neighborhood, nearly doubling the number of such systems known.

Contreras Fire Recovery at Kitt Peak National Observatory

1 August 2022: Latest update on the Contreras Fire at Kitt Peak National Observatory. The observatory remains closed. Read more.


Coronavirus COVID-19 Measures at NOIRLab

We are currently not hosting public visitors at the summit or base facilities. Given the continuously evolving nature of the pandemic, we currently do not have a reopening date. When a date is available we will share it on our website and social media. The timeline may be different for each site.

Read more.


Announcements


26 July 2022 — rubinann22014 Rubin Observatory Logo

Rubin Digest 26 July 2022

Project & Science News

A detailed agenda for the Rubin 2022 Project and Community Workshop (PCW) is now available on the meeting website. We look forward to seeing many of you August 8-12 in Tucson, AZ. 

Numerous Rubin Observatory staff members g...

12 July 2022 — rubinann22013 Rubin Observatory Logo

Rubin Digest 12 July 2022

Project & Science News

In-person registration has closed for the Rubin 2022 Project and Community Workshop (PCW) because we reached our safe capacity limit, but you can still register for virtual participation at this link. The workshop will be he...

30 June 2022 — ann22019 Maunakea Observatories Panorama

AURA and NSF’s NOIRLab Acknowledge Hawai‘i House Bill 2024

The International Gemini Observatory, a program of the National Science Foundation's (NSF’s) NOIRLab, which operates the Gemini North telescope on Maunakea, and its management agency the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), wis...

29 June 2022 — rubinann22012 Rubin Observatory Logo

Rubin Digest 28 June 2022

Project & Science News

Rubin Observatory recently participated in the American Astronomical Society summer meeting (AAS#240) held June 12-16 in Pasadena, CA. Read more details about the event, which was the first in-person AAS meeting since Januar...

16 June 2022 — ann22018 The Contreras Fire as seen from Kitt Peak on Thursday 16 June 2022

Kitt Peak National Observatory Shuts Down Due to Contreras Fire

A brush fire that has been designated the Contreras Fire is burning near Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO) in southern Arizona. The Fire began on a remote ridge of the Baboquivari Mountains, north of the Baboquivari Peak on the Tohono O’odham Natio...

16 June 2022 — ann22017 Cover of The NOIRLab Mirror issue 3

June Issue of the NOIRLab Mirror Newsletter Published

The third (June 2022) edition of the NOIRLab Mirror newsletter is now available. This twice-yearly newsletter focuses on news for the NOIRLab community and showcases the science, technology, and developments across the five NOIRLab Programs: Community ...

14 June 2022 — rubinann22011 Rubin Observatory Logo

Rubin Digest 14 June 2022

Project & Science News 

Reminder: June 20th is a US Federal holiday, and a holiday for Rubin (AURA) employees in the US. This holiday, Juneteenth, commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African-Americans and celebrates African-American culture....

10 June 2022 — ann22016 Logo of the Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky from Satellite Constellation Interference (CPS)

Launch of New IAU Centre Safeguarding Astronomy from Satellite Constellation Interference

The International Astronomical Union (IAU)’s newest specialist centre, the Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky from Satellite Constellation Interference (CPS), is being launched. It is co-hosted by NSF’s NOIRLab and the SKA Observatory ...

3 June 2022 — rubinann22010 Rubin Observatory Logo

Rubin Digest 01 June 2022

Project & Science News 

Don’t forget to register for the Rubin 2022 Project and Community Workshop (PCW), August 8-12, at the Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain in Tucson, AZ. The deadline is July 22nd, but we encourage you to register before July 8th to ...

20 May 2022 — ann22015 NOIRLab at AstroDay Hawai‘i 2022

NOIRLab Celebrates AstroDay in Hilo with Hawai‘i Community

Led each year by the University of Hawai‘i’s Institute for Astronomy, AstroDay is one of the most well-attended astronomy outreach events in Hawai‘i. For the first time since the pandemic, AstroDay Hawai‘i took place in person on Saturday 14 May 2022 i...

19 May 2022 — rubinann22009 Rubin Observatory Logo

Rubin Digest 17 May 2022

Project & Science News 

Registration is now open for the Rubin 2022 Project and Community Workshop (PCW) which will take place August 8-12 at the Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain Resort in Tucson, AZ. Please register by July 8th to ensure you reserve a ...

3 May 2022 — rubinann22008 Rubin Observatory Logo

Rubin Digest 03 May 2022

Project & Science News 

The team on Cerro Pachón ran a series of tests on the mirror washing station in March; they were working to define the washing and drying parameters that will be used to clean the Primary/Tertiary Mirror (M1M3). Read the de...

29 April 2022 — ann22014 Staff participants at the Merrie Monarch parade

NOIRLab Celebrates Hawai‘i’s Hula Tradition at Merrie Monarch Parade

Every year, with the exception of the past two years because of the pandemic, the Big Island community celebrates the tradition of hula in Hawai‘i with the annual Merrie Monarch Hula Festival. Hula halau (Hula schools) come from all over Hawai‘i and th...

20 April 2022 — rubinann22007 Rubin Observatory Logo

Rubin Digest 19 April 2022

Project & Science News 

A new "Day in the Life of Rubin Observatory" video is now posted on YouTube. In January 2022, everyone working at Rubin was encouraged to submit a photo highlighting their work. The resulting montage video offers a view of ...

19 April 2022 — ann22013 Scholar Astronomy Program

Chilean Teachers Participate in NOIRLab’s Training Program for Astronomy

The Solar System, the Moon and its features, the stars, the constellations, the properties of light, and the preservation of dark skies will be some of the topics featured in the Scholar Astronomy Program, part of NOIRLab's Star Educators program. The ...

7 April 2022 — ann22012 Night-time view of SOLARIO

Kitt Peak National Observatory to Offer New Experiences for Astrophotographers

Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO), a program of NSF’s NOIRLab, is offering, through the Kitt Peak Visitor Center, two new remote experiences for astrophotographers of all levels. Being able to observe remotely from an operating world-class professi...

6 April 2022 — rubinann22006 Rubin Observatory Logo

Rubin Digest 05 April 2022

Project & Science News 

April is Celebrate Diversity Month! Rubin Observatory recognizes and celebrates the variety of backgrounds and perspectives we all bring to the table to reach a common goal: finishing construction of Rubin Observatory and b...

30 March 2022 — rubinann22005 Rubin Observatory Logo

Rubin Digest 22 March 2022

PROJECT & SCIENCE NEWS 

At SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, the final Camera electro-optical run with the bare focal plane (i.e., the Cryostat with the flat window installed) ended in February. Over 15,000 full focal plane images and over 42,...

29 March 2022 — ann22011 AURA-Padre Picetti Award Banner

Santiago Teacher Wins AURA-Padre Picetti Award

María Angélica López Ulloa from Santiago, Chile, has won the 2021 AURA-Padre Picetti Award, an annual initiative started in 2014 by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) that seeks to recognize the work of exceptional teacher...

22 March 2022 — ann22010 Banner for AstroDay Chile

Discover the Secrets of the Universe During AstroDay Chile 2022

Every year NSF's NOIRLab celebrates the Chilean National Day of Astronomy with our AstroDay Chile outreach program, which in 2022 will offer a series of virtual activities for the whole family. More than 40 professionals from a variety of scientific an...

Images of the Week


A Blanket of Light

3 Aug. 2022 — iotw2231

A Blanket of Light

A Crimson Nursery

27 July 2022 — iotw2230

A Crimson Nursery

Night Light

20 July 2022 — iotw2229

Night Light

Wraparound Observatory

13 July 2022 — iotw2228

Wraparound Observatory

A Bright Night over Gemini North

6 July 2022 — iotw2227

A Bright Night over Gemini North

The Colors of the Night Sky

29 June 2022 — iotw2226

The Colors of the Night Sky

When Hemispheres Connect

22 June 2022 — iotw2225

When Hemispheres Connect

A Hexagonal Galactic Center

15 June 2022 — iotw2224

A Hexagonal Galactic Center

Starry Night, Laser Light

8 June 2022 — iotw2223

Starry Night, Laser Light

Maunakea Above the Clouds

1 June 2022 — iotw2222

Maunakea Above the Clouds

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A Sign of the Zodiac

20 July 2022

GHOST in the machine: Gemini’s powerful spectrograph

Journey NGSS Workshop at 'Imiloa

28 June 2022

Teen Astronomy Café — To Go: A New Twist on Data in the Classroom

Striking image shows mass distribution of nearby galaxy cluster

17 May 2022

Probing dark matters in the Universe with Rubin

Rubin Observatory and Its Target

20 April 2022

How Rubin will uncover secrets of the Milky Way’s history

Vera C. Rubin Observatory and transient objects

5 April 2022

Tracking transients with Rubin

Our Programs


From the first observations in 1965, Cerro Tololo, located in Chile, has served as the principal platform for U.S. astronomical investigation of the southern skies.

Programs within the Community Science and Data Center support and enable a broad range of astronomical community science activities across the US ground-based optical and infrared system.

Founded in 1958, Kitt Peak National Observatory is home to one of the largest arrays of optical and radio telescopes in the world.

The Gemini Observatory consists of twin 8.1-meter diameter optical/infrared telescopes located on two of the best observing sites on the planet.

Vera C. Rubin Observatory, currently under construction on Cerro Pachón in Chile, is an 8-meter-class telescope coupled to a 3.2-gigapixel camera – the world’s largest digital camera ever fabricated for optical astronomy.

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NOIRLab Contact

950 N. Cherry Ave.
Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
Tel: +1 520 318 8000
info@noirlab.edu

Discovering Our Universe Together

NSF’s NOIRLab is the preeminent US national center for ground-based, nighttime optical and infrared astronomy. The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. (AURA) operates these facilities and NSF’s NOIRLab under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation (NSF).