Observatories For Astronomy

There are a number of quality observatories for astronomy both in the United States and around the world.

The National Radio Observatory is in Charlottesville VA. One of the finest observatories for astronomy, this center is located on the campus of the University of Virginia.

Another of the U.S. observatories for astronomy, the National Optical Astronomy Observatory, is located in Tucson Arizona.

Founded in 1982 as a consolidation of the several area observatories then in existence, the National Optical Astronomy Observatory represents the US astronomy community in the exciting international astronomy project, the International Gemini program.

Local observatories for astronomy now under the umbrella of the National Optical Astronomy Observatory are Kitt Peak National Observatory, the Inter-American Observatory at Cerro Tololo as well as the Sacramento Peak National Solar Observatory.

The mission of the NOAO is the provision of the highest quality, most productive telescopes for the study of astronomy to top-notch U.S. astronomers. NOAO sees this mission as promotion of the public's understanding of science and support of science through these observatories.

Since these observatories are publicly supported and nationally affiliated they are open to any astronomer no matter what their affiliation.
Funding for these observatories in Arizona come from the National Science Foundation and are administered by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. The headquarters of the National Optical Astronomy Observatory is in Tucson, while its subordinate observatories for viewing are scattered in various places around the globe.

Kitt Peak is in Tucson as well. Cerro Tellolo Interamerican Observatory is in Chile. The National Solar Observatory is in New Mexico. The NOAO Gemini Science Center has two homes and two telescopes - one in Hawaii, the other in Chile.