AURA and its US National Observatories

This 1997 book explores the history of AURA from the unique perspective of Frank K. Edmondson, former member of the AURA board of directors.

Frank K. Edmondson (Author)

9780521553452, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 6 March 1997

386 pages, 15 b/w illus.
24.4 x 17 x 2.2 cm, 0.81 kg

'We may surmise that, in the eyes of twenty-first-century historians of astronomy, twentieth-century astronomers have done well. They will be particularly grateful to Frank Edmondson for this outstanding contribution on the US national observatories. Adriaan Blaauw, Journal of History and Astronomy

A new source of funding for astronomy stemmed from the creation of the National Science Foundation (NSF) in 1950. Astronomers were quick to take advantage of the opportunities this provided to found new observatories. In this 1997 book, the science and politics of the establishment, funding, construction and operation of the Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO) and the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) are seen from the unique perspective of Frank K. Edmondson, a former member of the AURA board of directors. AURA was asked to manage the Sacramento Peak Observatory (SPO) in 1976, and in 1983 the National Solar Observatory (NSO) was formed by merging the SPO and the KPNO solar programs. In 1981 NASA chose AURA to establish and operate the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI). This is a personal account of a period of major innovation in American optical astronomy.

Part I. The Beginning
Part II. AURA is Created
Part III. New Directions for AURA
Part IV. Cerro Tololo's Neighbours
Part V. Epilogue.

Subject Areas: 20th century history: c 1900 to c 2000 [HBLW], History of the Americas [HBJK]