 Various telescopes at the Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO) in the Quinlan Mountains | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alternative names | KPNO | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Organization | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Observatory code | 695 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Kitt Peak, Arizona, US | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 31°57′30″N111°35′48″W / 31.9583°N 111.5967°W /31.9583; -111.5967 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Altitude | 2,096 m (6,877 ft) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Observing time | 260 nights per year | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Established | 1958 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Website | noirlab | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Telescopes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
  Location of Kitt Peak National Observatory | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Related media on Commons | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
TheKitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO) is a United Statesastronomicalobservatory located onKitt Peak of theQuinlan Mountains in theArizona-Sonoran Desert on theTohono Oʼodham Nation, 88 kilometers (55 mi) west-southwest ofTucson, Arizona. With more than twenty optical and tworadio telescopes, it is one of the largest gatherings of astronomical instruments in the Earth's northern hemisphere.[2]
Kitt Peak National Observatory was founded in 1958.[3] It is home to what was the largest solar telescope in the world, and many large astronomical telescopes of the late 20th century in the United States.[3]
The observatory was administered by theNational Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) from the early 1980s until 2019, after which it was overseen byNOIRLab.[4]
In June 2022, theContreras Fire led to the evacuation of Kitt Peak. The fire reached the summit at 2 a.m. on Friday, June 17. Four non-scientific buildings, including a dormitory, were lost in the fire.[5] 15 months later in September 2023, the observatory reopened to the public.[6]
Kitt Peak was selected by its first director,Aden B. Meinel, in 1958 as the site for a national observatory under contract with theNational Science Foundation (NSF) and was administered by theAssociation of Universities for Research in Astronomy. The land was leased from theTohono Oʼodham under a perpetual agreement. The second director (1960 to 1971) wasNicholas U. Mayall. In 1982, NOAO was formed to consolidate the management of three optical observatories — Kitt Peak; theNational Solar Observatory facilities at Kitt Peak andSacramento Peak,New Mexico; and theCerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory inChile. The observatory sites are under lease from the Tohono O'odham Nation at the amount of a quarter dollar per acre yearly, which was overwhelmingly approved by the Council in the 1950s. In 2005, the Tohono O'odham Nation brought suit against the National Science Foundation to stop further construction of gamma ray detectors in the Gardens of the Sacred Tohono O'odham Spirit I'itoi, which are just below the summit.[7]
The largest optical instruments at KPNO are theMayall 4 meter telescope and theWIYN3.5-meter telescope; there are also several two- and one-meter class telescopes. TheMcMath–Pierce solar telescope was for many decades[8] the largestsolar telescope in the world and the largest unobstructed reflector (no secondary mirror in the path of incoming light). TheARO 12m Radio Telescope is also at the location.
Kitt Peak is famous for hosting the first telescope (an old 91 cm reflector) used to search fornear-Earth asteroids, and calculating the probability of an impact withplanet Earth.[9]
Kitt Peak hosts an array of programs for the public to take part in, including:[10]
Kitt Peak's Southeastern Association for Research and Astronomy (SARA) Telescope was featured in the WIPB-PBS documentary, "Seeing Stars in Indiana". The project followed SARA astronomers from Ball State University to the observatory and featured time-lapse images from various points around Kitt Peak.[11]
A major project started in the 2010s is theDark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) for the 4-meter Mayall telescope, for conducting spectrographicastronomical surveys of distantgalaxies probing theexpansion history of the universe and the mysterious physics ofdark energy.[12][13]
.jpg)
The Kitt Peak National Observatory of the United States was dedicated on March 16, 1960.[14] At the dedication a 36-inch telescope and various facilities were ready.[14] Construction was underway for the then planned 84 inch telescope.[14] (i.e. the KPNO 2.1 meter)
The 84 inch (2.1 m) had its first light in September 1964.[15]
Over the decades the mountaintop hosted many telescopes, and achieved a variety of discoveries.[16] Some examples of astronomical research KPNO contributed to include the study ofdark matter,cosmic distances, high-redshift galaxies, and theBoötes Void.[16] In addition, the observatory has engaged in variety of public outreach and education programs.[16]
In 2018, KPNO established plans for itsWindows on the Universe Center for Astronomy Outreach.[17]
In 1976 the Mayall Telescope was used to discovermethane ice onPluto.[18]
The 90 cm Spacewatch telescope was used to discover theKuiper belt body,20000 Varuna in the year 2000.[19] This was discovered by an astronomer noticing the slow moving object in a blink comparison.[19]
Due to its high elevation, the observatory experiences asubtropical highland climate (Cfb) with a much cooler and wetter climate throughout the year than most of theSonoran Desert.
| Climate data for Kitt Peak, Arizona (Elevation 6,790ft) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 71 (22) | 75 (24) | 78 (26) | 88 (31) | 90 (32) | 98 (37) | 98 (37) | 94 (34) | 91 (33) | 89 (32) | 87 (31) | 72 (22) | 98 (37) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 49.6 (9.8) | 50.8 (10.4) | 54.3 (12.4) | 61.7 (16.5) | 70.4 (21.3) | 79.5 (26.4) | 80.4 (26.9) | 78.0 (25.6) | 74.9 (23.8) | 66.9 (19.4) | 56.8 (13.8) | 50.0 (10.0) | 64.4 (18.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 33.0 (0.6) | 33.6 (0.9) | 35.8 (2.1) | 41.3 (5.2) | 49.2 (9.6) | 58.5 (14.7) | 60.8 (16.0) | 59.8 (15.4) | 57.0 (13.9) | 48.6 (9.2) | 39.5 (4.2) | 33.7 (0.9) | 45.9 (7.7) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −3 (−19) | −2 (−19) | 9 (−13) | 15 (−9) | 24 (−4) | 33 (1) | 40 (4) | 42 (6) | 35 (2) | 20 (−7) | 12 (−11) | 6 (−14) | −3 (−19) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 1.77 (45) | 1.60 (41) | 1.80 (46) | 0.55 (14) | 0.44 (11) | 0.45 (11) | 4.38 (111) | 4.53 (115) | 2.36 (60) | 1.50 (38) | 1.14 (29) | 2.65 (67) | 23.16 (588) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 3.0 (7.6) | 4.3 (11) | 4.1 (10) | 1.2 (3.0) | 0.1 (0.25) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.3 (0.76) | 1.2 (3.0) | 3.8 (9.7) | 18.1 (46) |
| Source: The Western Regional Climate Center[20] | |||||||||||||
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)| Programs |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Telescopes and Instruments | ||
| People | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Academics | |
| Other | |
