Kitt Peak Observatory Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory NOAO System Science Center
Left: C. Smith, S. Points, the MCELS Team & NOAO/AURA/NSF. Right: P. Massey & NOAO LGGS Survey
The Lives of Stars, or Astronomers as Paparazzi
Using NOAO facilities, astronomers from Lowell Observatory have acted as “stellar paparazzi”, managing to identify hundreds of rare yellow supergiants and their more long-lived descendants, the red supergiants, in two neighboring galaxies. These newly identified stellar populations provide an important constraint on the theoretical models which describe how these stars change from blue, to yellow and then to red. The behavior of the models in this phase can influence theoretical predictions, including what types of stars explode as supernova.
Welcome to the new NOAO website for astronomers
Within these pages you will find all the information (or links to it) that you need to propose for, or use the facilities to which NOAO provides access. We have tried to make that information as complete and as uniform as possible. In addition, similar information is provided about other facilities within the U.S. Optical/Infrared Ground-Based System.
The tabs across the top contain information categorized as follows:
HOME - This introductory page or the home page for the general public.
ABOUT - Information about NOAO, the organization, including recent programmatic news, contact information for staff scientists, and information for visitors. You will also find here links to our semi-annual newsletter and our periodic electronic newsletter, Currents.
FACILITIES - Information about all the facilities to which NOAO provides access, with links to the separate websites maintained by each facility.
OBSERVING - Everything you need to know about applying for time or carrying out your observing program.
DATA - Links to the data and software that we distribute, including the archive from which you can retrieve your observations.
SYSTEM - Information about the strategic planning for the System, which includes all the capabilities to which U.S. astronomers have access.
ACTIVITIES - Scientific activities at NOAO that you might be interested in, including announcements of upcoming meetings.
OPPORTUNITIES - opportunities for students and visitors, as well as current searches to fill scientific positions.
On February 20, 2012, an accident occurred at the CTIO Blanco Telescope involving the telescope's f/8 secondary mirror. More information and updates.
Join us for the 2012 Gemini Science Meeting in San Francisco, California, July 17-20, where current Gemini results and future plans will be discussed.
Watch live progress on DECam Installation at the Blanco telescope.
NOAO is the national center for ground-based nighttime astronomy in the United States and is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA). under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation. If you would like information about solar astronomy, visit the National Solar Observatory. If you would like information about radio astronomy, visit the National Radio Astronomy Observatory.