SOAR Organization

The SOAR Telescope is a partnership between the Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovações (MCTI) of the Federal Republic of Brazil, the U.S. National Science Foundation´s National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory (NSF´s NOIRLab),  the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), and Michigan State University (MSU). As Chile is the host country, Chilean astronomers are also entitled to access. Current partner share is indicated in the graphic below.

You can reach the Astronomy units at the SOAR partner institutions through the following links:

• U.S. National Science Foundation´s National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory (NSF´s NOIRLab) / Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory
• Laboratorio Nacional de Astrofísica (LNA), Brazil
• Michigan State University Astronomy Department
• University of North Carolina, Department of Physics and Astronomy
• Chilean National TAC

SOAR is operated by NSF´s NOIRLab, and is governed by a Board of Directors. It has a Science Advisory Committee (SAC) and each partner has a Time Allocation Committee (TAC - details here).  SOAR is managed by a La Serena-based Director and scientific staff. Operations and support work are carried out by the SOAR staff.