Las Campanas Observatory

Las Campanas Observatory
Telescopes at Las Campanas Observatory
Alternative namesLCO Edit this at Wikidata
Organization
Observatory code 304, I05 Edit this on Wikidata
LocationAtacama Region, Chile
Coordinates29°00′57″S 70°41′31″W / 29.01597°S 70.69208°W / -29.01597; -70.69208
Altitude2,380 m (7,810 ft) Edit this at Wikidata
Established1969 Edit this on Wikidata
Websitewww.lco.cl Edit this at Wikidata
Telescopes
Las Campanas Observatory is located in Chile
Las Campanas Observatory
Location of Las Campanas Observatory
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Las Campanas Observatory (LCO) is an astronomical observatory managed by the Carnegie Institution for Science (CIS). Located in Chile's Atacama Region, it sits about 100 kilometres (62 mi) northeast of the city of La Serena. The LCO's telescopes and facilities are positioned near the northern end of a 7 km (4.3 mi) mountain ridge. Cerro Las Campanas, situated near the southern end of this ridge and standing over 2,500 m (8,200 ft) tall, will be the future site of the Giant Magellan Telescope.[1]

Established in 1969, LCO is CIS's primary observatory, having taken over this role from Mount Wilson Observatory due to increasing light pollution in the Los Angeles area. The headquarters of Carnegie Observatories is in Pasadena, California, while the main office in Chile is in La Serena, close to the University of La Serena and near the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy facility.[2]

The observatory is served by Pelicano Airport, located 23 kilometres (14 mi) to the southwest.

  1. ^ Overbye, D., Zegers, M. (April 18, 2023), "A Giant Telescope Grows in Chile", The New York Times, retrieved 22 April 2023
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference COBSABT was invoked but never defined (see the help page).