Research Facilities

Funds in the amount of $4 million have been allocated by the National Science Foundation to the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. (AURA), for the construction of a solar telescope. A total of $7 545 000 has been allocated thus far for the erection and operation of a national astronomical observatory on Kitt Peak in the Quinlan Mountains of Southwestern Arizona. An additional $1 million has been appropriated by Congress for construction of an access road to the observatory site. The solar telescope will have a 60‐inch image‐forming mirror with a focal length of about 300 feet. The size of the image of the sun at the focal plane will be approximately 32 inches. The telescope will be several times larger than any now in existence and its focal length will be about twice that of the 150‐foot tower telescope on Mount Wilson. Stellar instruments at the observatory will consist initially of a 36‐inch telescope of the reflector type, and an 80‐inch reflecting telescope with auxiliary instrumentation.