NOIRLab
{{Third-party|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox laboratory
| name = National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory (NOIRLab)
| motto = Discovering Our Universe Together
| logo = NOIRLab logo.svg
| logo_caption = NOIRLab logo{{cite web |title=NOIRLab logo |url=https://www.noirlab.edu/public/about/logo/ |accessdate=27 August 2020}}
| research_field = Astronomy
| city = Tucson
| state = Arizona
| country = United States
| director = Patrick McCarthy{{Cite web|title=Leadership |url=https://noirlab.edu/public/about/leadership/ |access-date=2023-01-22 |website=noirlab.edu |language=en}}
| head_label = Deputy Director
| free_label = Sponsoring agency
| free = National Science Foundation
| operating_agency = Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy
| established = {{start date|2019}}
| website = {{official URL}}
}}
The National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory (NOIRLab{{pronunciation needed|date=December 2024}}) is the United States' national facility for ground-based, night-time optical and infrared astronomy. It is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), as a federally funded research and development center.
NOIRLab runs four observatories and a center for scientific software and research data archiving. It provides access to observing time for astronomers affiliated with any US institution.
History
NOIRLab was formed in 2019 by the merger of three predecessor organizations, which were all managed by AURA and funded by NSF. They were:
- The National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO), which managed Kitt Peak Observatory in Arizona, Cerro Tololo Observatory in Chile, and the Community Science and Data Center
- The Gemini Observatory, which operated Gemini North in Hawaii and Gemini South in Chile
- The Vera C. Rubin Observatory, which was constructing the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope in Chile
On October 1, 2019, these three organizations merged their operations to form NOIRLab.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2019-10-01|title=NSF's National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory Launched|url=https://noirlab.edu/public/news/noirlab1909/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-09-11|website=}}
Organization
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AURA operates the NOIRLab and its facilities under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation (NSF).{{Cite web|title=NOIRLab|url=https://www.aura-astronomy.org/centers/nsfs-oir-lab/|access-date=2020-09-11|website=AURA Astronomy|language=en-US}}
Facilities
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NOIRLab operates the following facilities:
- Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory
- Community Science & Data Center
- Gemini Observatory
- Kitt Peak National Observatory
- Vera C. Rubin Observatory
References
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{{NOIRLab}}
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Category:Astronomical observatories in the United States
Category:Astronomical observatories in Chile
Category:Astronomy institutes and departments
Category:Federally Funded Research and Development Centers
Category:Science and technology in the United States
Category:Astronomy in the United States
Category:Organizations based in Tucson, Arizona
Category:National Science Foundation