Skip to main content
  • en | es
  • Contact
  • Newsletter
  • About
    • FAQs
    • Careers
    • Contacts & Travel
      • Travel to NOIRLab HQ
      • Travel to AURA Recinto
      • Travel to Hilo Base Facility
      • Travel to KPNO
      • Travel to Maunakea
      • Travel to Cerro Pachón
      • Travel to Cerro Tololo
    • Visits
      • Public Visits
      • Media Visits
    • Leadership
    • Governance
    • NOIRLab Scientific Staff
    • NOIRLab Timeline
    • About AURA
    • History of NOAO
    • Logo
    • Acronyms
    • Staff Prizes
    • Light Pollution
      • Satellite Constellations
      • Protecting Dark Skies in Arizona
      • IAU Center
      • Important Reports
    • Broader & Social Impacts
  • Programs
    • Cerro Tololo
      • Víctor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope
        • Dark Energy Camera (DECam)
      • SOAR Telescope
      • SARA Cerro Tololo Telescope
      • Curtis Schmidt Telescope
      • Andes Lidar Observatory
      • CTIO GONG
      • KMTNet 1.6-meter Telescope
      • Wisconsin H-Alpha Mapper
      • Evryscope-South Telescope
      • T80-South Telescope
      • SMARTS Telescopes
        • SMARTS 1.5-meter Telescope
        • SMARTS 1.3-meter Telescope
        • SMARTS 1.0-meter Telescope
        • SMARTS 0.9-meter Telescope
      • PROMPT
        • PROMPT-1 Telescope
        • PROMPT-2 Telescope
        • PROMPT-3 Telescope
        • PROMPT-5 Telescope
        • PROMPT-6 Telescope
        • PROMPT-7 Telescope
      • Las Cumbres Observatory
        • Las Cumbres Observatory 1-meter Telescope (#4)
        • Las Cumbres Observatory 1-meter Telescope (#5)
        • Las Cumbres Observatory 1-meter Telescope (#9)
        • Las Cumbres Observatory 0.4-meter Telescope (#9)
        • Las Cumbres Observatory 0.4-meter Telescope (#12)
      • MEarth-South Observatory
        • MEarth-South Observatory 0.4-meter Telescope (#1)
        • MEarth-South Observatory 0.4-meter Telescope (#2)
        • MEarth-South Observatory 0.4-meter Telescope (#3)
        • MEarth-South Observatory 0.4-meter Telescope (#4)
        • MEarth-South Observatory 0.4-meter Telescope (#5)
        • MEarth-South Observatory 0.4-meter Telescope (#6)
        • MEarth-South Observatory 0.4-meter Telescope (#7)
        • MEarth-South Observatory 0.4-meter Telescope (#8)
      • Thai Southern Hemisphere Telescope
      • US Naval Observatory Deep South Telescope
      • DIMM2 Seeing Monitor
      • DIMM1 Seeing Monitor
      • SSI Airglow
      • RASICAM
      • ASAS-SN 2
      • ASAS-SN 5
      • CAMS Chile
      • MicroObservatory Donald
      • aTmCam
      • UBC Southern Observatory
    • Community Science & Data Center
    • Gemini Observatory
      • Gemini North
      • Gemini South
      • DIMM3 Seeing Monitor
    • Kitt Peak National Observatory
      • Nicholas U. Mayall 4-meter Telescope
      • WIYN 3.5-meter Telescope
      • The Hiltner 2.4-meter Telescope
      • UArizona Bok 2.3-meter Telescope
      • KPNO 2.1-meter Telescope
      • WIYN 0.9-meter Telescope
      • McGraw-Hill 1.3-meter Telescope
      • UArizona SuperLotis Telescope
      • SARA Kitt Peak Telescope
      • Burrell Schmidt Telescope
      • Robotically Controlled Telescope
      • UArizona 12-meter Telescope
      • Very Long Baseline Array Dish
      • McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope
      • UArizona 0.9-meter Spacewatch Telescope
      • UArizona 1.8-meter Spacewatch Telescope
      • 0.9-meter Coudé Feed Telescope
      • KPNO DIMM
      • NEID Solar Telescope
      • Visitor Center 0.5-meter Telescope
      • Solar and Observing Remote Imaging Observatory
      • Visitor Center Levine 0.4-meter Telescope
      • Visitor Center Roll Off Roof Observatory
    • Vera C. Rubin Observatory
      • Simonyi Survey Telescope
      • Rubin Auxiliary Telescope (AuxTel)
      • Rubin Seeing Monitor
    • Telescopes
  • Projects
    • US ELT Program
    • DESI
    • GEMMA
    • NEID
    • DES
    • AEON
    • ANTARES
    • Astro Data Archive
    • Astro Data Lab
  • Images
    • View All
    • Advanced Image Search
    • Categories
      • 360 Panorama
      • Arizona
      • Buildings
      • Cerro Tololo
      • Chile
      • Community Science & Data Center
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets
      • Fulldome
      • Galaxies
      • Galaxy Clusters
      • Gemini Observatory
      • Hawai‘i
      • Illustrations
      • Kitt Peak National Observatory
      • National Solar Observatory
      • Nebulae
      • People and Events
      • Quasars and Black Holes
      • Solar System
      • Star Clusters
      • Stars
      • Vera C. Rubin Observatory
    • Images of the Week
      • 2022
      • 2021
      • 2020
      • 2019
    • Top 100 Images
    • Image Comparisons
    • Zoomable Images
    • Wallpapers
    • Image Formats
    • Usage of NOIRLab images and videos
  • Videos
    • View All
    • Advanced Video Search
    • Categories
      • Buildings
      • Cerro Tololo
      • Community Science & Data Center
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets
      • Fulldome
      • Galaxies
      • Galaxy Clusters
      • Gemini Observatory
      • Illustrations
      • Kitt Peak National Observatory
      • Nebulae
      • People and Events
      • Quasars and Black Holes
      • Solar System
      • Star Clusters
      • Stars
      • Vera C. Rubin Observatory
      • Video News Release
      • Virtual Reality
    • Video Formats
    • Usage of NOIRLab images and videos
  • News
    • Press Releases
      • 2021-2030
        • 2022
        • 2021
      • 2011-2020
        • 2020
        • 2019
        • 2018
        • 2017
        • 2016
        • 2015
        • 2014
        • 2013
        • 2012
        • 2011
      • 2001-2010
        • 2010
        • 2009
        • 2008
        • 2007
        • 2006
        • 2005
        • 2004
        • 2003
        • 2002
        • 2001
      • 1994-2000
        • 2000
        • 1999
        • 1998
        • 1997
        • 1996
        • 1995
        • 1994
      • Gemini Press Releases
      • NOAO Press Releases 1998–2019
      • Rubin Press Releases
      • Advanced Press Release Search
    • Announcements
      • 2021-2030
        • 2022
        • 2021
      • 2011-2020
        • 2020
        • 2019
        • 2018
        • 2017
        • 2016
        • 2015
        • 2014
        • 2013
        • 2012
        • 2011
      • 2001-2010
        • 2010
        • 2009
        • 2008
        • 2007
        • 2006
        • 2005
        • 2004
        • 2003
        • 2002
        • 2001
      • 1999-2000
        • 2000
        • 1999
      • Gemini Announcements
      • NOAO Announcements
      • Rubin Announcements
      • Advanced Announcement Search
    • NOIRLab Stories
    • Social Media
      • Selected Social Media Posts
    • NOIRLab Newsletters
      • Subscribe to NOIRLab News
      • NOIRLab News
    • Press Room
      • Selected Press Clippings
    • New on noirlab.edu
  • Education
    • Community Engagement
    • Educational Materials
    • Educational Programs
      • Viaje al Universo
      • Project ASTRO
      • Journey Through the Universe
        • Journey Through NOIRLab
      • AstroDay (Chile)
      • NOIRLan’s Color StudioLab 2022
      • Teen Astronomy Cafe
      • ACEAP
    • Past Educational Programs
    • All Educational Events
    • Legacy Imaging Program
  • Products
    • 3D Models
    • Advertisements
    • Applications
      • FITS Liberator
        • Download FITS Liberator
        • FITS Liberator News
        • Documentation
        • FITS for Education
        • FITS for Teachers
        • Example Datasets
        • Known issues and FAQ
        • Download Past Versions
    • Books
    • Brochures
    • Calendars
    • Citizen Science Programs
    • Electronic Card
    • Exhibitions
    • Flyers
    • Handouts
    • Logos
    • Maps
    • Merchandise
    • Minisites
    • Postcards
    • Planetarium Shows
    • Posters
      • Conference Posters
      • Electronic Posters
      • Printed Posters
    • Presentations
    • Stickers
    • Technical Documents
    • Periodicals
      • NOIRLab Mirror
      • Gemini Focus
      • NOAO Newsletters
      • RBSE journals
    • Video Conference Backgrounds
  • Diversity
    • Selected Job Openings
  • Events
    • Local Community Events
    • Teacher Training Events
    • Exhibitions
    • Citizen Science Events
    • Educational Events
    • Talks
    • Press Events
    • Conferences
    • Events Calendar

Press Releases


The interacting galaxy pair NGC 1512 and NGC 1510

Photo Release: 3 May 2022 — noirlab2210

Galactic Ballet Captured from NSF’s NOIRLab in Chile

The interacting galaxy pair NGC 1512 and NGC 1510 take center stage in this image from the US Department of Energy-fabricated Dark Energy Camera, a state-of-the-art wide-field imager on the Víctor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, a Program of NSF’s NOIRLab. NGC 1512 has been in the process of merging with its smaller galactic neighbor for 400 million years, and this drawn-out interaction has ignited waves of star formation.

Galaxy NGC 772

Photo Release: 22 March 2022 — noirlab2209

Strong-Arming a Galaxy

The overdeveloped spiral arm of the galaxy NGC 772, which was created by tidal interactions with an unruly neighbor, dominates this observation made by astronomers using the Gemini North telescope located near the summit of Maunakea in Hawai‘i. NGC 772’s peculiar appearance has earned it a place as the 78th entry in the Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies — a rogues’ gallery of weird and wonderful galaxy structures.

Spiral galaxy NGC 1566

Photo Release: 22 Feb. 2022 — noirlab2208

Spanish Dancer Galaxy Twirls into View from NSF’s NOIRLab in Chile

This image, taken by astronomers using the US Department of Energy-fabricated Dark Energy Camera at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, a Program of NSF’s NOIRLab, captures the galaxy NGC 1566 as it twirls, flinging its arms through the vastness of space. Colloquially nicknamed the Spanish Dancer, this spiral galaxy is often studied by astronomers learning about galaxy groups, stars of different ages, and galactic black holes.

Siyi Xu During Journey Through the Universe 2020

Organization Release: 15 Feb. 2022 — noirlab2207

Journey Through the Universe 2022

NOIRLab's Journey Through the Universe — returning with an online program this year — will share the wonders of the Universe and career awareness in science and technology with Hawaiʻi students. In partnership with the Hawaiʻi Department of Education Hilo-Waiakea Complex Area, this year’s implementation of the flagship astronomy outreach program consists of a week of virtual programming along with a new cultural exchange program between classrooms in NOIRLab’s host cities in Hawaiʻi, Chile, and Arizona.

Starlink Satellites Overhead

Organization Release: 3 Feb. 2022 — noirlab2206

NSF’s NOIRLab and the SKA Observatory to Co-host New IAU Center for Satellite Constellation Interference

At a press conference today, NSF's NOIRLab announced that it has been selected, along with the SKA Observatory (SKAO), by the International Astronomical Union to host the new IAU Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky from Satellite Constellation Interference. The center coordinates collaborative multidisciplinary international efforts with institutions and individuals and works across multiple geographic areas to help mitigate the negative impact of satellite constellations on ground-based optical and radio astronomy observations as well as humanity’s enjoyment of the night sky.

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


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...

21 March 2022 — ann22009 Poster for the planetarium show Gemini Observatory and the Southern Sky

Astrophotographer Creates Planetarium Show About the Gemini South Telescope

A unique fulldome planetarium show starring the international Gemini Observatory, a program of NSF’s NOIRLab, has been released today. Produced by Kwon O Chul, a world-renowned astrophotographer from South Korea, Gemini Observatory and the Southern Sky...

16 March 2022 — ann22008 NOIRLab Tent at Tucson Festival of Books 2022

NSF’s NOIRLab Shares Astronomy Activities at Tucson Festival of Books

On 12 and 13 March 2022, NSF’s NOIRLab made its debut at the annual Tucson Festival of Books, sharing fun astronomy activities and talking about NOIRLab’s Programs and roughly 70 world-class telescopes with hundreds of curious members of the public. Th...

10 March 2022 — ann22007 Journey Through NOIRLab Graphic

Sharing Cultures Across NOIRLab

Now in its 18th year, Journey Through the Universe is NOIRLab’s flagship outreach program, which started as a Gemini North program on Hawaiʻi island and features a week of virtual programming and classroom visits. As part of Journey week this year, whi...

9 March 2022 — rubinann22004 Rubin Observatory Logo

Rubin Digest 09 March 2022

Project & Science News

A reminder: Daylight Saving Time in the US begins on Sunday, March 13th. Because the time will change in some Rubin locations and not others, we encourage you to reach out to meeting organizers to confirm times for standing ...

15 Feb. 2022 — rubinann22003 Rubin Observatory Logo

Rubin Digest 15 February 2022

Project & Science News

Save the date: the 2022 Rubin Project and Community Workshop (PCW) will be held August 8-12 at the Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain Resort in Tucson, AZ. At this time, we are planning a fully in-person meeting. Additional details ...

15 Feb. 2022 — ann22006 ACEAP Ambassadors

Applications Open for 2022 Astronomy in Chile Educator Ambassadors Program

Applications are now being accepted for the 2022 Astronomy in Chile Educator Ambassadors Program (ACEAP), which NSF’s NOIRLab is a partner of. To apply, visit the ACEAP website.

This program, now in its seventh year, brings amateur astronomers, planet...

1 Feb. 2022 — rubinann22002 Rubin Observatory Logo

Rubin Digest 01 February 2022

Project & Science News

A meeting of the AURA Management Council for Rubin Observatory (AMCR) was held virtually on January 26-28. The Council met with Project leadership to evaluate and discuss Rubin construction progress and the ongoing challenge...

1 Feb. 2022 — ann22005 Starlink Satellites Overhead

Media Advisory: IAU Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky from Satellite Constellation Interference

On 3 February 2022 leaders of the International Astronomical Union (IAU), NSF's NOIRLab, and the SKA Observatory (SKAO) will hold a virtual press conference to announce the newly established IAU Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky from ...

26 Jan. 2022 — ann22004 Comparison of images before and after the lights-out event in Andacollo, Chile

Lights-out Event Near Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile

On the night of Monday 24 January 2022 the Seremi de Ciencia Macrozona Centro, the Gobernación Regional, and the Municipality of Andacollo, a town near Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) in Chile, held an event called Blackout for Our Skies...

Images of the Week


A Galaxy of Birth and Death

25 May 2022 — iotw2221

A Galaxy of Birth and Death

Total Lunar Eclipse over Cerro Tololo

18 May 2022 — iotw2220

Total Lunar Eclipse over Cerro Tololo

Lunar Eclipse over Kitt Peak

11 May 2022 — iotw2219

Lunar Eclipse over Kitt Peak

Cerro Tololo Light Show

4 May 2022 — iotw2218

Cerro Tololo Light Show

Like Painting with Light

27 April 2022 — iotw2217

Like Painting with Light

What Goes Up, Must Come Down

20 April 2022 — iotw2216

What Goes Up, Must Come Down

A Dead Star’s Shroud

13 April 2022 — iotw2215

A Dead Star’s Shroud

The Outstretched Milky Way

6 April 2022 — iotw2214

The Outstretched Milky Way

Smoke and Mirrors

30 March 2022 — iotw2213

Smoke and Mirrors

A Guiding Star for Gemini South

23 March 2022 — iotw2212

A Guiding Star for Gemini South

Learn More


Site Maps

Globe at Night

Join Our Social Media Channels

Live from NOIRLab

Sign Up for NOIRLab News!

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

Clear Skies at Cerro Pachón

4 March 2022

Vera C. Rubin Observatory: New window on the Universe

Colors of Kitt Peak

15 Feb. 2022

NEID: New hunter of potentially habitable planets

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.

  • Contacts & Travel
  • Privacy
  • Careers
  • Image Usage
  • Sitemap
  • Conduct

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).