Announcement: Community Science & Data Center

9 February 2023: Dara Norman, NOIRLab’s Community Science and Data Center (CSDC) Deputy Director, has been elected President of the American Astronomical Society (AAS). She will serve as President-Elect for the next year and will begin her two-year term as President in June 2024. “The entire NOIRLab community congratulates Dara on receiving this outstanding honor and call to service. The society could not have chosen a better leader. I am personally delighted that NOIRLab can make such important contributions to the AAS leadership,” said Patrick McCarthy, Director of NSF’s NOIRLab. It is the duty of the AAS President to preside over the Board of Trustees meetings and the annual AAS Members' Meeting, represent the AAS at official functions and before other organizations, serve when required as the official spokesperson for the AAS, and appoint members to various AAS committees. More importantly, the President sets the tone for the entire society and exemplifies leadership …

2 February 2023: Globe at Night is an international, online, citizen-science campaign, run by NSF’s NOIRLab to raise public awareness of the impact of light pollution by inviting citizen-scientists to measure and submit their night-sky brightness observations. This February, Globe at Night, in partnership with the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA), is inviting people to participate in the fourth Love the Stars campaign. Beginning on 12 February 2023, the Sunday before Valentine’s Day, and running for ten nights, the Globe at Night campaign asks participants to look up at the night sky, find the bright constellation Orion in the northern hemisphere, or Gemini in the southern hemisphere, and then tell us which of a set of star maps most closely matches what they see. Measurements can be submitted on the report page, accessible through a computer or smartphone [1]. Scientists use these observations to measure and monitor how light pollution changes globally. “Light pollution …

9 January 2023: The fourth (January 2023) edition of The NOIRLab Mirror newsletter is now available. This biannual publication focuses on news for the NOIRLab community and showcases the science, technology, and developments across the five NOIRLab Programs: the Community Science and Data Center (CSDC), Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO), the International Gemini Observatory, Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO), and Vera C. Rubin Observatory Operations. The January 2023 issue features articles on recent scientific results and technical developments from various NOIRLab Programs, a review of the impact of the Contreras fire at KPNO, news about instrumentation, how NOIRLab is reducing our carbon footprint, new online educational resources from Rubin and NOIRLab’s Virtual Tour of facilities, updates from the US Extremely Large Telescope Program user surveys, introductions to new science staff, and much more. The NOIRLab Mirror is free and notifications of the release of future electronic issues can be requested here. A free …

2 December 2022: The International Astronomical Union, NSF’s NOIRLab, and the SKA Observatory unite to express their concern about the recently launched prototype BlueWalker 3 satellite’s impact on astronomy. New measurements reveal that this low Earth orbiting satellite is now one of the brightest objects in the night sky, outshining all but the brightest stars. In addition, the satellite’s use of terrestrial radio frequencies poses a new challenge to radio astronomy. On 10 September 2022 AST SpaceMobile launched a prototype satellite called BlueWalker 3, which is operating under an experimental license, into low Earth orbit. This satellite, which has a 64-square-meter (693-square-foot) antenna system (the largest commercial antenna system ever deployed into low Earth orbit), is the first of what is expected to be more than a hundred similar or even larger satellites. New measurements by observers worldwide, coordinated by the International Astronomical Union’s CPS (IAU Center for the Protection of the Dark …

8 November 2022: Together with the other Maunakea Observatories (MKOs), the International Gemini Observatory, operated by NSF's NOIRLab, celebrated AstroDay Kona with families and friends of all ages on Saturday, 5 November 2022. A free event held outdoors at the Kona Commons Shopping Center in Kailua-Kona, AstroDay Kona provided an estimated 1000 visitors with the opportunity to learn about the Universe that inspires astronomy research as well as the spectacular discoveries made by the telescopes on Maunakea. Like the Annual AstroDay in Hilo each May, this event is led by the University of Hawaii’s Institute for Astronomy. Observatory staff joined the community with special activities, informative exhibitions, and free AstroKits. These activity kits are composed of beautifully captured astronomical images of Jupiter and Saturn along with descriptive Hawaiian-cultural astronomy handouts, which included information on the Hawaiian moon phases and the star line most prominent this month, Ka Lupe O Kawelo. Visitors to the …

11 October 2022: The International Astronomical Union’s (IAU) Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky from Satellite Constellation Interference (CPS), which is co-hosted by NSF’s NOIRLab and SKA Observatory, is supporting a photography exhibition that explores the challenges of space sustainability, including the impact of mega-satellite constellations on astronomy and the human experience of the night sky. The International Astronomical Union’s Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky from Satellite Constellation Interference (CPS) is supporting a photography exhibition that demonstrates the vulnerability of near-space and the urgent need for its sustainable use. Called Our Fragile Space, the collection of artistic photography, reportage, and portraiture opened in London on 6 October 2022 to coincide with the United Nations’ World Space Week. International photographer and science communicator Max Alexander created the series. “Through beautiful images and compelling stories, this exhibition expertly captures the current challenge of space sustainability,” said …

5 October 2022: NSF’s NOIRLab is pleased to announce that Stuartt Corder will become the new Deputy Director of NOIRLab and AURA Mission Scientist in Chile, effective 7 November. Corder has more than 15 years of experience with world-class astronomical facilities, including senior leadership roles with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile and NSF’s National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) headquartered in Charlottesville, Virginia. As NOIRLab’s Deputy Director and AURA Mission Scientist, Corder will represent the NOIRLab Director’s office in Chile and will be the primary interface with the Chilean astronomical community and the other international observatories. He also will be intimately involved in the daily operations and management of NOIRLab and will participate in strategic planning and interactions with the scientific community. “I am thrilled to begin working with my international colleagues in this new and exciting role, with an eye toward optimizing and synergizing across the facilities in ways …

16 August 2022: The Universe awaits! From the outskirts of our own Solar System to infant stars and galaxies at the other end of the observable Universe, astronomers are uncovering previously hidden wonders. Making this new era of exploration possible are the state-of-the-art nighttime optical observatories funded by the US National Science Foundation (NSF), which are brought together for the first time in one unified organization, NSF’s NOIRLab. To help astronomers, educators, and the public share in this journey of discovery, NOIRLab has released a series of informative and engaging brochures and handouts — in English and Spanish — that are brimming with stunning images of advanced telescopes and the distant objects they observe. These exciting products are available to download from the NOIRLab website and hard copies are available upon request for use in schools, science festivals, and other astronomy-themed outreach activities. Leading the way is NOIRLab’s flagship booklet titled Discovering Our …

16 June 2022: The third (June 2022) edition of the NOIRLab Mirror newsletter is now available. This twice-yearly newsletter focuses on news for the NOIRLab community and showcases the science, technology, and developments across the five NOIRLab Programs: Community Science and Data Center (CSDC), Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO), Gemini Observatory, Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO), and Vera C. Rubin Observatory Operations. This issue features articles on recent scientific results and technical developments from the NOIRLab Programs, perspectives on the Astro2020 Decadal Survey, news about new data releases and upcoming instruments, the latest updates from the US Extremely Large Telescope Program and much more. The NOIRLab Mirror is free and notifications of the release of future electronic issues can be requested here. A free subscription for printed copies can also be requested by libraries and researchers here. More information NSF’s NOIRLab(National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory), the US center for ground-based optical-infrared astronomy, operates …

10 June 2022: The International Astronomical Union (IAU)’s newest specialist centre, the Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky from Satellite Constellation Interference (CPS), is being launched. It is co-hosted by NSF’s NOIRLab and the SKA Observatory (SKAO). Essentially a coordination centre, the CPS will oversee contributions from staff members across its two locations: NOIRLab’s Headquarters in Tucson, Arizona, USA, and the SKAO’s headquarters at Jodrell Bank, UK. The Centre is headed by former IAU General Secretary, Piero Benvenuti of the University of Padova, with Connie Walker from NOIRLab and the SKAO’s Federico Di Vruno serving as co-directors. The CPS aims to mitigate the negative impact of satellite constellations on professional ground-based optical and radio astronomy observations as well as humanity’s appreciation of the night sky. The SKAO will focus on radio interference while visible light and infrared interference will fall under NOIRLab. Although ground-based observations have been impacted by …

20 May 2022: 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 in the Prince Kuhio Plaza shopping center in Hilo. All of the Maunakea observatories, including the International Gemini Observatory, a Program of NSF's NOIRLab, participate in AstroDay, when staff amaze, educate, and inform visitors about astronomy in Hawai‘i. Many other science, education, and community organizations also participated in the festivities to create a well-rounded and exciting day of celebrating science and technology. The annual AstroDay program in Hilo is emerging from the pandemic with a more traditional level of engagement. For the past two years, owing to the pandemic, AstroDay pivoted to a scaled-back, virtual/hybrid event. While this year’s program included significant COVID safety protocols and precautions, with masks …

19 April 2022: 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 program will engage more than 80 teachers from Vicuña, Paihuano, Montepatria, and La Serena in Chile, on topics related to basic astronomy and the science of NOIRLab facilities to complement and reinforce subjects included in the Chilean science curriculum. The program is a joint endeavor of NSF's NOIRLab and AURA in Chile. In a series of virtual sessions that began on 7 April 2022 and comprises 23 hours of training over 7 months, teachers will obtain first-hand information about basic astronomy, as well as the main features of astronomical observatories in the Region of Coquimbo, and general concepts about NOIRLab’s astronomical technologies. Educators will also have the opportunity to …

29 March 2022: 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 teachers in Chile who help encourage new generations of scientists. The award was presented on 25 March 2022 in a virtual ceremony broadcast to the public on YouTube by NSF’s NOIRLab, which is managed by AURA. The ceremony was held as part of NOIRLab’s AstroDay Chile events and the celebration of Astronomy Day in Chile, which engaged more than 1500 participants in virtual and hybrid activities hosted by NOIRLab in Chile over three days. The award ceremony was also attended by the rector of the José Miguel Carrera National Institute, Manuel Ogalde Arenas, the head of the physics department at the Colegio Seminario Conciliar, Juan Holzel, and the interim director of AURA …

22 March 2022: Every year NSF 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 and tourist observatories and universities in Chile will take part in virtual activities from 23 to 25 March 2022 on NOIRLab's YouTube and Facebook channels. The first day, 23 March, is devoted to tourist observatories in Chile. The day will begin with a panel of operators of tourist observatories who will describe the challenges of working during the pandemic. Later in the day, there will be a session describing the latest discoveries from NOIRLab and how tourist observatories can incorporate these into their programs. The last session on the 23rd features a workshop to help tourist observatories plan public programs for cloudy nights. On Thursday 24 March the public is …

16 March 2022: 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. This was the first large-scale, face-to-face event at NOIRLab’s Arizona facilities since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. NOIRLab set up its display and activities next to its Headquarters building on Cherry Avenue in Tucson, Arizona, which was a highly trafficked area as people walked to the festival on the University of Arizona campus. NOIRLab staff provided safe solar viewing through telescopes, melted pennies with sunlight using a large Fresnel lens, provided stickers, brochures, and other giveaways, and introduced a new NOIRLab cube game. “The Tucson Festival of Books was a great opportunity to engage with the public and introduce NOIRLab to the local community and to those visiting the …

1 February 2022: On 3 February 2022 leaders of the International Astronomical Union (IAU), NSF 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 Satellite Constellation Interference. The press conference, to be conducted via Zoom, will begin on 3 February 2022 at 11:00 a.m. MST (18:00 UT) and last at most one hour. Registration is free to accredited media representatives; instructions appear below. The organizations hosting the center and the directors have been decided. This press conference will announce these details. Briefing Participants Debra Elmegreen, IAU Connie Walker, NSF NOIRLab/IAU Piero Benvenuti, University of Padova/IAU Federico Di Vruno, SKAO Meredith Rawls, University of Washington/Vera C. Rubin Observatory Richard Green, University of Arizona Jessica Heim, University of Southern Queensland Registration Bona-fide journalists can register for the press briefing here. Upon approval by the NOIRLab …

10 January 2022: In October 2021 more than 700 people from 76 countries took part in the United Nations/Spain/International Astronomical Union Conference on Dark and Quiet Skies for Science and Society online, following the online workshop on the same theme held in October 2020. At this second meeting delegates focused on the feasibility of implementing the specific measures to mitigate the impact of artificial interferences affecting the visibility of the sky and the detection of cosmic radio signals recommended in the first conference. The results of this meeting are contained in the reports, which are now available online. The main findings of the conference will also be presented to the 59th Session of the Scientific and Technical Sub Committee (STSC) of the UN Committee for the Peaceful Use of Outer Space (COPUOS) in the form of a Working Paper in February 2022. The Dark and Quiet Skies II conference and its reports focused …

22 December 2021: When you open a new tab or window in your web browser, wouldn’t it be nice if that window opened onto a beautiful cosmic vista? A new Google Chrome extension from NSF’s NOIRLab can now make that happen. Once installed, the extension randomly selects one of NOIRLab’s Top 100 images from our gallery and displays it when the user opens a new browser tab or window. In the lower-left corner of the window, the image title and credit are shown next to the NOIRLab logo. (Clicking the title will open a page on the NOIRLab website that provides more information about the image.) Simply reload the window or tab to enjoy a new randomly selected NOIRLab image. To install the extension, visit https://chrome.google.com/webstore/search/noirlab with your Chrome browser, and explore some of the awe-inspiring images created by NSF’s NOIRLab. More information NSF’s NOIRLab (National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory), the US center …

23 November 2021: NOIRLab, in conjunction with the University of Hawai‘i’s Institute for Astronomy (IfA) and the Maunakea Observatories (MKOs), shared the Universe with learners of all ages at Astroday Kona on Sunday 14 November 2021. The free, open-air event, organized by IfA, attracted over 500 family and visitor participants at the Kona Commons shopping center where shoppers joined observatory staff in activities ranging from making star lei to solar viewing. After a break in 2020 due to the pandemic, AstroDay Kona resumed this year in Kona for the fourth time. The Maunakea observatories were joined by other Hawaiʻi astronomy facilities from Hawaiʻi Island and Maui. IfA Outreach Manager Carolyn Kaichi led the organization of the event and said, “We are extremely grateful to the community partnerships that allow for the continuation of AstroDay in Kona and especially the support of Kona Commons and its staff.” The NOIRLab booth featured handouts including image …

9 November 2021: NSF’s NOIRLab is presenting about the importance of clear and dark skies at a virtual event named “Chilean Astronomy: A window to the Universe”, organized by the Chilean Embassy in Singapore in partnership with the Science Centre Singapore. The four-day program highlights the astronomical infrastructures hosted by Chile, and includes the possibility of interacting with experts, such as representatives from astronomical societies and some of the biggest observatories in the world operating in Chile. The topics of the event range from star hunting, light pollution, and inclusivity in astronomy, to the streaming of related documentaries like Big Astronomy: People, Places, Discoveries. Juan Seguel, Education & Engagement Specialist at NOIRLab, presented a talk called Astronomy and light pollution + Globe at Night Campaign where he described the Globe at Night project and addressed questions from the audience. The event will be live-streamed via Science Centre Singapore's YouTube channel, and the Embassy …