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Press Releases


NGC 3923

Photo Release: 28 Sept. 2023 — noirlab2325

Stellar Layers of a Galactic Onion

The symmetrical, onion-like layers of shell galaxy NGC 3923 are showcased in this galaxy-rich image taken by the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Dark Energy Camera mounted on the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Víctor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile, a Program of NSF’s NOIRLab. A nearby, massive galaxy cluster is also captured exhibiting the phenomenon known as gravitational lensing.

Visitors at Kitt Peak National Observatory

Organization Release: 21 Sept. 2023 — noirlab2324

Kitt Peak National Observatory Will Host Soft Reopening 22 September

Kitt Peak National Observatory will begin a limited reopening program to welcome the public through its doors and domes starting Friday 22 September. Following a more than three-year closure as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Contreras Fire, the historic KPNO will finally welcome visitors back to enjoy its guided daytime tours and nighttime observing programs.

Artist’s impression of a highly unusual star that may evolve into a magnetar

Science Release: 17 Aug. 2023 — noirlab2323

Astronomers Find Progenitor of Magnetic Monster

A team of researchers, including NOIRLab astronomer André-Nicolas Chené, has found a highly unusual star that has the most powerful magnetic field ever found in a massive star — and that may become one of the most magnetic objects in the Universe: a variant of a neutron star known as a magnetar. This finding marks the discovery of a new type of astronomical object — a massive magnetic helium star — and sheds light on the origin of magnetars.

Artist Impression: Interstellar object rapidly approaching our Solar System

Organization Release: 10 Aug. 2023 — noirlab2322

Visitors from Distant Stars: Rubin Observatory Will Detect an Abundance of Interstellar Objects Careening Through Our Solar System

Many as-yet-undiscovered interstellar objects exist throughout our Milky Way Galaxy: comets and asteroids that have been ejected from their home star systems. Some of these objects pass through our Solar System, bringing valuable information about how planetary systems form and evolve. Currently, only two such interstellar visitors have been discovered: 1I/ʻOumuamua and comet 2I/Borisov. Rubin’s upcoming Legacy Survey of Space and Time will show us many more.

Cropped View of Galaxies in Lopsided Tug of War

Photo Release: 25 July 2023 — noirlab2321

Dark Energy Camera Captures Galaxies in Lopsided Tug of War, a Prelude to Merger

The spiral galaxy NGC 1532, also known as Haley’s Coronet, is caught in a lopsided tug of war with its smaller neighbor, the dwarf galaxy NGC 1531. The image — taken by the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Dark Energy Camera mounted on the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Víctor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile, a Program of NSF’s NOIRLab — captures the mutual gravitational influences of a massive- and dwarf-galaxy merger.

Cyber Incident at NSF’s NOIRLab

Telescope operations restored after cybersecurity incident at NSF’s NOIRLab: Gemini North and Gemini South are taking science data. Read more here.

Public Visits

Most of the free public visits to our sites are now open. Learn more here.

Announcements


2 Oct. 2023 — ann23029 US-ELTP Collaboration Logo

US Extremely Large Telescope Program Receives $15.3 Million from the National Science Foundation

The United States Extremely Large Telescope Program (US-ELTP) today announced it has received $15.3 million from the National Science Foundation to support further design and development of advanced optical technologies and user services. The funding con…

2 Oct. 2023 — ann23027 Trail left by BlueWalker 3 over Observatorio Astronomico Nacional, San Pedro Martir, Mexico.

Further Understanding BlueWalker 3’s Impact on Astronomy

Scientists, including astronomers from the International Astronomical Union Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky from Satellite Constellation Interference (IAU CPS), have published a paper in Nature assessing the detailed impact of the Blu…

29 Sept. 2023 — ann23028 The NOIRLab logo

Telescope Operations Restored After Cybersecurity Incident at NSF’s NOIRLab

Gemini North and Gemini South telescopes (the twin telescopes forming the International Gemini Observatory) are now back on sky following the 1 August cybersecurity incident at NSF’s NOIRLab, and are currently collecting science data. Restoration of remo…

26 Sept. 2023 — rubinann23014 Rubin Observatory Logo

Rubin Observatory Digest for 26 September 2023

Project and Science News

September has been a busy month for VIP visits to the summit. Rubin Construction and Operations leadership hosted a group from the National Science Foundation (NSF) on September 13-14 (photo here). The previous week, the Mayor o…

7 Sept. 2023 — rubinann23013 Rubin Observatory Logo

Rubin Observatory Digest for 06 September 2023

Project and Science News

This year’s NSF/DOE Joint Status Review (JSR) for Rubin Construction took place August 22-25 in Tucson, AZ. Rubin leadership and team leads gave presentations summarizing current and remaining work on various aspects of Rubin, a…

6 Sept. 2023 — ann23022 The NOIRLab logo

Cybersecurity incident at NSF’s NOIRLab

Update as of 29 September 2023

Gemini North and Gemini South telescopes are now back on sky and are currently collecting science data. Restoration of remote access for external astronomers is ongoing, and we anticipate that it will be restored over the …

5 Sept. 2023 — ann23026 Starlink Satellites Overhead

The IAU CPS launches SatCons 101

SatCons 101, a new educational curriculum for learning about the design of large satellite constellations and their impact on astronomy, has been launched by the International Astronomical Union’s (IAU) Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky…

29 Aug. 2023 — ann23025 The fifth (August 2023) edition of The NOIRLab Mirror newsletter.

August Issue of the NOIRLab Mirror Newsletter Highlights News and Milestones for the NOIRLab Community

The fifth (August 2023) edition of The NOIRLab Mirror newsletter is now available. This biannual publication focuses on news for the NOIRLab community and showcases the science, technology, and developments across the five NOIRLab Programs: the Community…

25 Aug. 2023 — ann23024 Telescope mosaic

NSF’s NOIRLab Again Achieves World-Class Productivity

The number of publications in peer-reviewed journals is among the most important productivity metrics in astronomy, astrophysics, and all of science. NSF’s NOIRLab, which encompasses many of the world’s most powerful and productive telescopes, continues …

23 Aug. 2023 — rubinann23012 Rubin Observatory Logo

Rubin Observatory Digest for 23 August 2023

Project and Science News

The Rubin 2023 Operations-hosted Project and Community Workshop (PCW) brought colleagues and community together from August 7-11. More than 300 people attended the meeting in person at the University Marriott in Tucson, Arizona,…

2 Aug. 2023 — ann23023 Orbit of Asteroid 2022 SF 289

Asteroid-Discovery Algorithm Created for Rubin Observatory Ensnares Its First ‘Potentially Hazardous’ Object

An asteroid discovery algorithm — designed to uncover near-Earth asteroids for Vera C. Rubin Observatory’s upcoming 10-year survey of the night sky — has identified its first potentially hazardous asteroid, a term for asteroids that currently pose no ris…

28 July 2023 — ann23021 US Embassy Representative Ruth Botts

US Embassy in Chile Organizes Educational Science Fair at AURA Recinto Facility in La Serena

On 20 July 2023 AURA, together with the United States Embassy in Chile, held the Bicentennial Educational Meeting in celebration of 200 years of official relations between Chile and the United States. As one of the activities, the AURA facilities in La S…

25 July 2023 — rubinann23011 Rubin Observatory Logo

Rubin Observatory Digest for 25 July 2023

Project and Science News

We look forward to seeing many of you very soon, at the Rubin Project and Community Workshop 2023 (PCW) in Tucson, AZ, August 7-11. Virtual registration and poster submission are both still open — you can find the most up-to-dat…

12 July 2023 — rubinann23010 Rubin Observatory Logo

Rubin Observatory Digest for 11 July 2023

Project & Science News

The agenda for the Rubin Operations Project and Community Workshop 2023 (PCW) is now available on the meeting website. The PCW is scheduled for the week of August 7, 2023, at the Marriott University Park in Tucson, AZ.

The Ru…

27 June 2023 — ann23020 NOIRlab Launched Backyard Worlds: Cool Neighbors

Calling All Science-Sleuthing Volunteers! Astronomers Need Your Help Searching for Brown Dwarfs in Our Cosmic Backyard

From comets and pulsars to supernovae and exoplanets, many exciting cosmic discoveries have been made by dedicated amateur astronomers, school students, and citizen scientists. Some of these intrepid science sleuths also partner with professional astrono…

23 June 2023 — ann23019 Visitors inside the HQ Conference Room

NSF’s NOIRLab Public Visits Restart in Arizona, Hawai‘i, and Chile in July 2023

NSF’s NOIRLab is excited to announce that public visits will soon restart at our observatories and base facilities in Arizona, Hawai‘i, and Chile. Complete with a new website, revamped guided tours, and even a virtual tours system, probing the secrets of…

21 June 2023 — rubinann23009 Rubin Observatory Logo

Rubin Observatory Digest for 20 June 2023

Project & Science News

In-person registration for the Rubin Operations Project and Community Workshop 2023 (PCW) has reached capacity (300), but if you haven’t registered and want to attend please add your name to the waitlist—we anticipate some can…

13 June 2023 — ann23018 Aerial view of Pisco Elqui, with its square illuminated new dark-sky-compliant lighting.

New, Dark-Sky-Compliant Lighting, Courtesy of AURA in Chile and NSF’s NOIRLab, Installed in Pisco Elqui Square

AURA and NSF’s NOIRLab in Chile have donated to the Municipality of Paihuano a new, dark-sky compliant lighting system for the Pisco Elqui main square. This is the first lighting project in the Coquimbo Region to comply with the new dark-sky lighting sta…

31 May 2023 — rubinann23008 Rubin Observatory Logo

Rubin Observatory Digest for 30 May 2023

Project & Science News

Registration is open for the Rubin Operations Project and Community Workshop 2023 (PCW). The in-person meeting will take place at the Marriott University Park in Tucson, AZ the week of August 7, 2023, with some sessions availa…

26 May 2023 — ann23017 Lighting a Path to the Stars

NOIRLab Launches Ambassador Program

The NOIRLab Ambassador program, a joint initiative with Vera C. Rubin Observatory Construction, launches today. Its aim is to increase public engagement with NOIRLab and its Programs, including Rubin Observatory, by working together with motivated and en…

Images of the Week


Maunakea’s Shadow

27 Sept. 2023 — iotw2339

Maunakea’s Shadow

Galactic Face-off

20 Sept. 2023 — iotw2338

Galactic Face-off

Calibration Station

13 Sept. 2023 — iotw2337

Calibration Station

Telescopes Among the Clouds

6 Sept. 2023 — iotw2336

Telescopes Among the Clouds

A False Dawn at KPNO

30 Aug. 2023 — iotw2335

A False Dawn at KPNO

Milky Way Front and Center

23 Aug. 2023 — iotw2334

Milky Way Front and Center

A Pantheon Above WIYN

16 Aug. 2023 — iotw2333

A Pantheon Above WIYN

Gentle Giant Galaxy

9 Aug. 2023 — iotw2332

Gentle Giant Galaxy

CTIO on the Edge of the World

2 Aug. 2023 — iotw2331

CTIO on the Edge of the World

Gateway to the Cosmos

26 July 2023 — iotw2330

Gateway to the Cosmos

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Peering Back to the Early Universe

19 Sept. 2023

Peering Back to the Early Universe: A Story of Confirmation and Refutation

Last year astronomers using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope peered back to the very distant, very early Universe and found what appeared to be some of the earliest galaxies ever observed, thought to have formed when the Universe was less than 500 million years old. Using follow-up spectroscopy, two NOIRLab astronomers confirmed the ages of two of these early galaxies, but they also revealed how a third galaxy had astronomers fooled.

Artist's impression of a black hole and accretion disk

24 Aug. 2023

Accretion Disks: How Big Are They Really?

Using the Gemini North telescope, one half of the International Gemini Observatory, operated by NSF’s NOIRLab, astronomers have detected for the first time evidence of the presence of an accretion disk within the active galactic nucleus of galaxy III Zw 002. Using two rare and peculiar near-infrared emission lines, these observations place firm limits on the size of the galaxy’s accretion disk and shed new light on its geometry and behavior.

Debris from a star destroyed by supermassive black hole are flung into space

3 Aug. 2023

An Enigmatic Cosmic Crime Scene

During a dive through archival data, astronomers unearth an unusual tidal disruption event that occurred in a nearby star-forming galaxy. Obscured by the interstellar medium, this incredibly close and luminous event went unnoticed for seven years. The SOAR telescope’s integral role in pinpointing its uncommon location illustrates how future searches for tidal disruption events will be conducted.

NOIRlab Launched Backyard Worlds: Cool Neighbors

20 July 2023

Newly Launched Backyard Worlds: Cool Neighbors Project Assembles Team of Citizen Scientists to Hunt for Brown Dwarfs in Our Cosmic Backyard

Calling all citizen scientists! NSF’s NOIRLab has launched Backyard Worlds: Cool Neighbors, a hunt through our cosmic backyard in search of brown dwarfs. Expanding on the successful Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 project, Cool Neighbors combines the power of machine learning with crowdsourced data analysis to uncover elusive neighbors of our Sun.

Dark Energy Survey deep field image

5 July 2023

The Dark Energy Survey: Uncovering the Invisible

The Dark Energy Survey was a six-year observing program designed to survey the skies in order to better understand dark energy — a complex concept that developed when scientists realized that the Universe seemed to be breaking its own supposedly immutable laws of physics. But how do you observe something that cannot be seen? And why are scientists so convinced that there is really something to search for?

Our Programs


Logo of the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory

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.

Logo of the Community Science and Data Center

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.

Logo of the Kitt Peak National Observatory

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

Logo of the International Gemini Observatory

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

Logo of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory

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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950 N. Cherry Ave.
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Tel: +1 520 318 8000
info@noirlab.edu

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Discovering Our Universe Together

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NSF’s NOIRLab (NSF's National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory) is the US national center for ground-based, nighttime optical 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).