GeezerVison

This article may rely excessively on sources too closely associated with the subject, potentially preventing it from being verifiable and neutral. Please help improve this article by replacing such sources with more appropriate citations to reliable, independent sources. (August 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory (NOIRLab)

NOIRLab logo[1]
Motto	Discovering Our Universe Together
Established	2019 (2019)
Field of research	Astronomy
Director	Beth Willman[2]
Deputy Director	Stuartt Corder[3]
Location	Tucson, Arizona, United States
Sponsoring agency	National Science Foundation
Operating agency	Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy
Website	noirlab.edu

The National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory (NOIRLab) is the United States' national facility for ground-based, night-time optical and infrared astronomy.^[4] It is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), as a federally funded research and development center.

NOIRLab runs four observatories and a center for scientific software and research data archiving. It provides access to observing time for astronomers affiliated with any US institution.^[5]

NOIRLab was formed on October 1st, 2019 by the merger of three predecessor organizations, which were all managed by AURA and funded by NSF.^[6] They were:

• The National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO), which managed Kitt Peak Observatory in Arizona, Cerro Tololo Observatory in Chile, and the Community Science and Data Center
• The Gemini Observatory, which operated Gemini North in Hawaii and Gemini South in Chile
• The Vera C. Rubin Observatory, which was constructing the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope in Chile

From its beginning to October 2026, Dr. Patrick McCarthy was the director of NOIRLab.^[7] Dr. Beth Willman took over as interim director on October 5th, 2026.^[7]

In 2026, NOIRLab received $109 million from the NSF.^[8]

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding missing information. (December 2024)

AURA operates the NOIRLab and its facilities under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation (NSF).^[4]

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding missing information. (December 2024)

NOIRLab operates the following facilities:^[9]

• Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory
• International Gemini Observatory
• NSF Kitt Peak National Observatory
• NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory

NOIRLab additionally provides software and user services for these facilities through the Community Science & Data Center.^[10]

Image of the NOIRLab Facilities

• 
  2021 PH₂₇
• 
  2024 Solar Eclipse
• 
  Tarantula Nebula
• 
  3I ATLAS
• 
  47 Tucanae
• 
  NGC 672 & IC 1727
• 
  Abell 3574
• 
  NGC 1515
• 
  Sh 2-3
• 
  EGB 6
• 
  Sh 2-42
• 
  Crab Nebula