Timeline of Important Events for NSF's NOIRLab
Timeline of Important Events for NSF's NOIRLab
1950–1960 |
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| March 1956: The Tohono O’odham Nation agrees to a test site (with a 16” telescope) to be built on Kitt Peak in Arizona. Kitt Peak is a sacred mountain to the Tohono O’odham Nation who call it I’oligam Du’ag which means “Manzanita Bush Mountain.” |  |
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October 1957: AURA is founded |
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October 1957: Robert R. McMath is appointed President of the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) |
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| December 1957: Aden B. Meinel is appointed as the first Kitt Peak National Observatory Director |  |
| February 1958: The Tucson Base building land is acquired |  |
| March 1958: Kitt Peak is selected as the site for Kitt Peak National Observatory |  |
| October 1958: Kitt Peak lease with the Tohono O’odham Nation is signed |  |
| June 1959: The Universities of Chile, Chicago, and Texas sign an agreement for a cooperative observatory to be funded by the U.S. Air Force | |
| June 1959: C.D. Shane is appointed President of AURA | |
| July 1959: Kitt Peak National Observatory construction starts |  |
1960–1970 |
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| March 1960: Kitt Peak National Observatory (later NOIRLab) HQ in Tucson, AZ, is completed |  |
| March 1960: Kitt Peak National Observatory dedication ceremony |  |
| October 1960: Nicholas Mayall is appointed Kitt Peak National Observatory Director |  |
| June 1962: Frank K. Edmondson is appointed President of AURA |  |
| November 1962: Cerro Tololo in Chile is selected as site for Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) |  |
| November 1962: Completed McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope is dedicated |  |
| November 1962: First Light at McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope |  |
| December 1962: Official flag hoisting on Cerro Tololo in Chile. This was planned with the governor of the Elqui Department and the captain of the police present. | |
| January 1963: AURA buys the property called “El Totoral” which includes close to 30,000 hectares with Cerro Tololo near its center. “El Totoral” means a place where Totora grass, a reed-like plant used for roofing, grows. | |
| April 1963: Jurgen Stock is appointed first Director of CTIO | |
| October 1963: A plot of land is purchased in La Serena for construction of the CTIO offices, laboratories and staff housing. The property was later extended to its current size through two additional purchases in July 1966 and May 1968. | |
| January 1964: Leveling of the top of Cerro Tololo starts |  |
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June 1964: Kitt Peak Visitor Center opens |
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| September 1964: First Light on the Kitt Peak National Observatory 2.1-meter Telescope |  |
| June 1965: Rupert Wildt is appointed President of AURA | |
| July 1966: Hoag, Edmondson, Hiltner are appointed Acting Directors of CTIO | |
| April 1967: Nicholas U. Mayall 4-meter Telescope construction begins |  |
| August 1967: Víctor M. Blanco is appointed Director of CTIO |  |
| November 1967: Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory inauguration | |
| December 1967: Excavation starts for the future Víctor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope |  |
| June 1968: W. A. Hiltner is appointed President of AURA | |
| September 1971: Leo Goldberg is appointed Kitt Peak National Observatory Director |  |
| June 1971: Rupert Wildt is appointed President of AURA | |
| June 1972: Gilbert L. Lee, Jr. is appointed President of AURA | |
| June 1973: The Nicholas U. Mayall 4-meter Telescope, the world’s second largest, is dedicated |  |
| November 1974: Víctor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope prime focus First Light ceremony | |
| June 1977: John M. Teem is appointed President of AURA | |
| August 1977: Víctor M. Blanco is appointed Kitt Peak National Observatory Acting Director | |
| October 1977: The Chilean government signs a decree declaring the CTlO lands a "Privileged Scientific Sanctuary," where mining is prohibited without the express consent of the Chilean President. |  |
| October 1978: Geoffrey Burbidge is appointed Kitt Peak National Observatory Director |  |
1980–1990 |
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| January 1981: Patrick Osmer is appointed Director of CTIO | |
| June 1983: The solar programs at Kitt Peak National Observatory and Sacramento Peak in New Mexico merge to form the National Solar Observatory (NSO). |  |
| February 1984: The National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) is formed by combining Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory and Kitt Peak National Observatory operations into one organization |  |
| February 1984: John Jefferies is appointed first NOAO Director |  |
| February 1984: Bob Howard is appointed first National Solar Observatory Director | |
| September 1984: Sidney Wolff is appointed Kitt Peak National Observatory Director |  |
| January 1986: Robert (Bob) Williams is appointed Director of CTIO |  |
| June 1986: Goetz K. Oertel is appointed President of AURA | |
| March 1987: AURA accepts the recommendation of Maunakea in Hawai‘i as the site for the future Gemini North telescope |  |
| August 1987: Sidney Wolff is appointed NOAO Director |  |
| January 1988: David de Young is appointed Kitt Peak National Observatory Director |  |
| June 1988: John Leibacher is appointed NSO Director | |
| June 1989: Cerro Pachón in Chile is chosen as site for Gemini South |  |
1990–2000 |
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| February 1991: An additional plot of land adjoining the original “El Totoral" property is purchased on Cerro Pachón consolidating AURA’s ownership of the site of the future Gemini South telescope. | |
| May 1992: Groundbreaking on Kitt Peak for WIYN 3.5-meter Telescope | |
| June 1992: Sidney Wolff is named Gemini Director, on leave from NOAO directorship |  |
| June 1993: Mark Phillips is appointed Acting Director of CTIO | |
| June 1993: Malcolm G. Smith is appointed Director of CTIO |  |
| June 1993: Jacques Beckers is appointed NSO Director | |
| October 1993: United States becomes a Gemini Partner | |
| October 1993: United Kingdom becomes a Gemini Partner | |
| October 1993: Canada becomes a Gemini Partner | |
| January 1994: An additional plot of land adjoining the “El Totoral” property is purchased on Cerro Pachón, consolidating AURA’s ownership of the site of the future SOAR Telescope. | |
| June 1994: Caty Pilachowski is appointed Kitt Peak National Observatory Acting Director |  |
| June 1994: WIYN 3.5-meter Telescope First Light | |
| August 1994: Brazil becomes a Gemini Partner | |
| October 1994: Chile becomes a Gemini Partner | |
| October 1994: Argentina becomes a Gemini Partner | |
| October 1994: Gemini construction ground-breaking begins on Maunakea |  |
| October 1994: Gemini construction ground-breaking begins on Cerro Pachón |  |
| December 1994: Matt Mountain is appointed Gemini Director |  |
| October 1994: WIYN 3.5-meter Telescope dedication ceremony | |
| September 1995: 4-meter telescope is dedicated to Víctor M. Blanco |  |
| June1997: Doug Rabin is appointed Acting NSO Director | |
| June 1997: Richard Green is appointed Kitt Peak National Observatory Director |  |
| April 1998: SOAR Telescope groundbreaking ceremony |  |
| May 1998: Australia becomes a Gemini Partner | |
| November 1998: Gemini North Hilo Base Facility is dedicated |  |
| January 1999: SOAR Consortium is founded, following the nation of Brazil becoming a partner, finalizing the partnership formation process. | |
| March 1999: An additional plot of land adjoining the “El Totoral" property is purchased on Cerro Pachón consolidating AURA’s ownership of the site of the future Vera C. Rubin Observatory. | |
| April 1999: Steve Keil is appointed NSO Director | |
| June 1999: First Light images are released at the Gemini North dedication |  |
2000–2010 |
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| April 2000: Steve Heathcote is appointed SOAR Director |  |
| June 2000: William S. Smith, Jr is appointed AURA Director | |
| November 2000: Gemini South First Light image is released |  |
| April 2001: Jeremy Mould is appointed NOAO Director |  |
| June 2001: NSO becomes an independent AURA Center | |
| January 2002: Gemini South dedication |  |
| November 2002: Gemini North is named in honor of a pioneer of infrared astronomy, Frederick C. Gillett |  |
| April 2003: The LSST project (later named Vera C. Rubin Observatory) is formed |  |
| November 2003: Alistair R. Walker is appointed Director of CTIO |  |
| April 2004: Dedication ceremony for the SOAR Telescope is held on Cerro Pachón. |  |
| April 2004: SOAR Telescope First Light | |
| Sept 2005: Jean-Rene Roy is appointed acting Gemini Director | |
| September 2005: Buell Jannuzi is appointed Kitt Peak National Observatory Acting Director |  |
| May 2006: the El Peñón summit on Cerro Pachón in Chile is selected as the future site for the 8.4-m Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST). | |
| June 2006: Doug Simons is appointed Gemini Director |  |
| March 2007: Buell Jannuzi is appointed Kitt Peak National Observatory Director |  |
| April 2007: Todd Boroson is appointed Acting NOAO Director |  |
| June 2008: George Jacoby is appointed WIYN Director |  |
| March 2008: David Silva is appointed NOAO Director |  |
| November 2008: Robert (Chris) Smith is appointed Director of CTIO |  |
| July 2009: TMT Board of Directors selects Maunakea as the preferred site for the Thirty Meter Telescope after a site testing campaign evaluating sites in Chile, USA, and Mexico. | |
2010–2020 |
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| June 2010: Pat Knezek is appointed interim WIYN Director. | |
| June 2010: Abi Saha is appointed Kitt Peak National Observatory Acting Director |  |
| June 2011: Timothy Beers is appointed Kitt Peak National Observatory Director |  |
| May 2011: Fred Chaffee is appointed Gemini Director | |
| July 2011: Las Campanas Observatory chosen as the site for the Giant Magellan Telescope | |
| May 2012: Nancy Levenson is appointed Gemini Acting Director |  |
| September 2012: Dark Energy Camera First Light |  |
| August 2012: Markus Kissler-Patig is appointed Gemini Director |  |
| October 2012: Nicole van der Bliek is appointed Interim Director of CTIO |  |
| December 2012: UK leaves Gemini (STFC of UK announced on Nov. 15, 2007 to withdraw from Gemini partnership. By the end of 2012 the UK time balance was close to zero.) | |
| February 2013: Steve Heathcote is appointed Director of CTIO |  |
| June 2013: Lori Allen is appointed Kitt Peak National Observatory Director |  |
| June 2013: Eric Hooper is appointed interim WIYN Director | |
| August 2013: Valentin M. Pillet is appointed NSO Director | |
| March 2014: Horacio Dottori is appointed interim SOAR Director | |
| August 2014: Jay Elias is appointed SOAR Director |  |
| March 2015: Matt Mountain is appointed AURA President |  |
| April 2015: LSST project's First Stone event |  |
| November 2015: Giant Magellan Telescope groundbreaking ceremony | |
| December 2016: Australia leaves Gemini | |
| July 2017: Laura Ferrarese is appointed acting Gemini Director |  |
| February 2018: DESI instrument installation begins on the Nicholas U. Mayall 4-meter Telescope, which involves dismantling major parts of the telescope to convert it to sole-purpose-use for deep and wide spectroscopic surveys with DESI. |  |
| April 2018 Phil Puxley is appointed interim NCOA (later NOIRLab) Director | |
| July 2018: Republic of Korea joins Gemini |  |
| July 2018: Beth Willman appointed NOIRLab Deputy Director |  |
| October 2018: Bob Blum is appointed Rubin Observatory Operations Director (Acting) |  |
| October 2018: Jennifer Lotz is appointed Gemini Observatory director |  |
| January 2019: Lori Allen is appointed Acting NOAO Director |  |
| April 2019: DESI First Light |  |
| September 2019: Patrick McCarthy appointed NOIRLab Director |  |
| October 2019: NOIRLab is formed by uniting NOAO, Gemini, CSDC and Vera C. Rubin Observatory operations |  |
| October 2019: Adam Bolton is appointed Director of CSDC |  |
| October 2019: Lori Allen is appointed Director of Mid Scale Observatories (Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory/Kitt Peak National Observatory) | |
| December 2019: LSST is officially renamed to Vera C. Rubin Observatory in honor of Vera C. Rubin |  |
2020–2030 |
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January 2020: NEID First Light |
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January 2020: Rubin Observatory Auxiliary Telescope (AuxTel) First Light |
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| March 2020: The global COVID-19 pandemic leads to severe disruptions of the NOIRLab operations and developments |  |
| October 2021: Michelle Edwards is appointed Kitt Peak National Observatory Associate Director |  |
| November 2021: The US Extremely Large Telescope Program (US-ELTP) receives the highest ranking for ground-based projects in the Pathways to Discovery Decadal Survey Report |  |
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June 2022: Wildfire at Kitt Peak |
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July 2022: GHOST First Light |
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November 2022: Gemini Primary Mirror Incident |
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November 2022: Stuartt Corder Appointed NOIRLab Deputy Director and AURA Mission Scientist in Chile |
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March 2023: End of COVID-19 pandemic measures |
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January 2024: Scott Dahm appointed International Gemini Observatory's interim Director. |
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