Cosmoview Episode 75: The Challenges and Charms of In-Person Observing

NSF’s NOIRLab’s world-class observatories — Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, Kitt Peak National Observatory, the International Gemini Observatory, and Vera C. Rubin Observatory — are built in some of the highest and driest locations on Earth, often situated far from major inhabited areas. This means that getting to and working on-site presents some niche challenges, but also provides astronomers with the opportunity to discover out-of-the-way and unique environments.