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CERRO TOLOLO INTER-AMERICAN OBSERVATORY
HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHTS
June, 1958
Prof.
Federico Ruttlant of the U. of Chile visits Yerkes Observatory and proposes a cooperative observatory
project to Drs. Kuiper and Hiltner.
July
7, 1958
Dr. Kuiper contacts Dr. Shane to explore possible AURA interest
in the cooperative observatory. AURA is not then in a position to consider the
project.
Jan
8, 1959
U. of
Chicago applies to the U. S. Air Force for funds for a 40-inch telescope in
Chile to be located near Santiago. The Air Force expresses interest and agrees
to fund site testing program.
May-Jun
1959
Dr.
J. Stock, later CTIO's first Director, travels to
Chile and with U. of Chile personnel and equipment, a site testing program is
organized. The first sites tested were near Farellones
and Cerro El Roble.
June
1, 1959
The
Universities of Chile, Chicago, and Texas sign an agreement for a cooperative
observatory to be funded by the U.S. Air Force. The 40-inch telescope project
becomes a 60-inch telescope project. Dr. Clemence
suggests the project title: "The Inter-American Observatory in
Chile".
Aug
19, 1959
Dr.
I. Epstein of Columbia U. starts another site testing program in Chile with NSF
funding. This program aimed at comparing sites in Chile, Argentina, Australia,
and South Africa. A month later Drs. Stock and Epstein coordinated their
programs. Eventually, the U. of Columbia and Yale U. established an astrometric
observing station near San Juan, Argentina.
Oct
19, 1959
Dr.
G. Keller of the NSF expresses the interest of the NSF in supporting the
Chilean Observatory project. A policy advisory committee with AURA, NSF, Air
Force, and Universities of Chile, Chicago, and Texas representatives is formed
to consider the future of the project.
May
25, 1960
AURA
is asked to take over construction and operation of a "joint Chilean
Observatory".
June
30, 1960
AURA
assumes reponsibi1ity of site surveys for U.S. observatory in Chile under the
auspices of the U. S. Air Force and subsequently the National Science
Foundation.
Feb –
Aug 1960
Site
surveys extended northward to include Tololo, Morado,
and other mountains near Vicuna.
August,
1961
0.41-m
telescope hauled to Cerro Tololo on mule back for tests of site.
December
1961
AURA
and the U. of Chile sign an agreement for establishment of the observatory in
Chile.
December,
1961: CT10's first administrative office opens at the Chilean National
Observatory at Cerro Calan, Santiago.
Oct
11. 1962
Eight
hectares lot is purchased in La Serena.
Nov
23, 1962
Cerro Tololo chosen as site and the Observatory's current name adopted.
Nov
25, 1962
AURA
buys the property El Totoral, 30,000 hectares, with Cerro Tololo
near its center.
Dec
2, 1962
Traditional
flag-raising ceremony held on Tololo in company of Chilean officials who
climbed the mountain on horseback.
January,
1963
Chilean
Congress, with sponsorship of the U. of Chile, approves duty-free importations
by AURA. Such importations were to be handled by the U. of Chile.
February,
1963
NSF
approves the funding of a 0.92-m telescope for (TIO.
April
1963
Dr.
J. Stock is appointed first Director of CTIO.
Sept,
1963
First
vehicle driven to Tololo on the primitive, but passable, 38 kilometer access
road.
Mid-1963
Temporary
powerhouse, warehouse, and maintenance shops completed, and 25 years later, the
"temporary" structures are stilt in use.
June
1963
Representatives
of ESO and AURA meet to discuss possibility of the European Southern
Observatory being located in CTIO's grounds. In 1965
ESO decides on La Silla for its location.
Dec
63 - Feb 64
Dr.
H. Babcock, director of Mt. Wilson and Palomar Observatories, visits CTIO to
initiate a site survey on AURA's grounds for a Carnegie Southern Observatory.
After initial tests at Cerro Pachon, further testing was limited to Cerro Morado. Eventually the Carnegie Observatory is established
on Las Campanas.
January
1964
Construction
initiated of the Headquarters building in La Serena.
February
1964
First
radio messages sent between CTIO and KPNO. The University of Chile allowed CTIO
to use its assigned wavelengths and call letters.
March
1964
AURA
Board approves five-year master plan for development of CTIO.
May
1964
First
800 books acquired for Library.
Jan -
Jun 1964
Leveling
of the top of Cerro Tololo carried out.
Mid1964
The
U. of Chile, La Serena Branch, on a cost-free basis, allows CTIO to build an
access road to CTIO's
headquarters across its property.
June
1964
Water being pumped to Tololo from a spring at Los Placeres.
July
1964
Within
weeks of leveling the summit of Tololo, housings started for the 0.41m, 0.92m,
and 1.5-m telescopes.
June
30, 1965
The
CTIO staff consists of seven employees, two of which were stationed in Tucson,
Arizona. By January 1976 when the 4-m telescope is put into operation the staff
numbered 175. Currently (Dec 1987) it
numbers 138.
December
1965
First
50,000-gallon water storage tank installed on Tololo.
December
1965
An
additional hectare containing a house added to the La Serena compound at its
western end (Calle Cisternas).
Mid-1966
Five houses completed on Tololo.
Oct
26, 1966
AURA
concludes agreement with the University of Michigan to install the Curtis
Schmidt telescope on Tololo on a 10-year loan basis; the agreement was extended
for 25 years in 1975.
December
1966
Ford
Foundation decides to donate $5 million on matching grant basis with NSF for
construction of a 4-m telescope in the Southern Hemisphere.
April
1967
At
Punta del Este, Uruguay, U.S. President Johnson and
Chilean President Frei jointly announce that the
Ford-NSF 4-m telescope would be installed on.
March
1967
0.92-m
telescope acquired and installed outdoors; moved to its permanent housing in
Kay.
May
1967
Housings
for the 0.4l-m and 0.92-m telescopes are completed.
August 1967
Dr. Victor M. Blanco is appointed new CTIO Director until December 1980.
Sept
1967
Previously
planned houses on Cerro Tololo for the CTID Director and a Mountain
Superintendent, as well as three other houses, are eliminated from the
Master Plan.
October
1967
1.
5-m telescope installed.
October
1967
The
administrative/scientific (round) office building is completed on Tololo.
October 1967
Astronomers'
Dormitory and Dining Hall first occupied.
Nov 3, 1967
The
U. of Chile and CTID jointly sponsor a conference on Astrophysical Photometry
in Santiago as part of the CTIO inauguration program.
Nov 6, 1967
First light on the 1.5-m telescope. Nov 7, 1967: official inauguration of CTIO. The benediction is by Msgr. Fresno, later Cardinal Fresno. Chilean President Frei visits Tololo.
Nov
1967
Tololo
instrument shop completed; it subsequently becomes the electronic shop, and
eventually the visitors' center.
April
3, 1967
The
housing for the Curtis Schmidt telescope is completed.
Late
1967
Late
in the year, the decision is made to locate in La Serena all (TIO service shops
not needed on Tololo: e.g., the instrument shop, ETS offices and shops, the library,
receiving warehouse, main garage and computer center.
December
1967
Excavation started for 4-m telescope housing.
March
1968
An
additional eight hectares are added to the La Serena compound at its eastern
end (hilltop).
Mid-1968
Negotiations
initiated to modify importation procedures of CTIO shipments.
July
1968
The
first prefabricated houses for U.S. hired.
Aug
7, 1968
With
AURA approval, the CTIO Director and the Rector of the U. of Chile sign an
agreement allowing telescope time for U. of Chile astronomers.
December
1968
The
Government of Chile extends to CTIO's U.S. Hires
certain benefits enjoyed by foreign employees of the United Nations branch
office in Santiago.
March
1969
Lowell
24-inches telescope installed.
May
21, 1969
Harvard
and Yale Universities and MIT plan possible installation on Cerro Morado of a 90-inch, a 36-inch, and a l6-inch telescope.
July
25, 1969
The
4-m Cervit mirror blank is cast by Owens-Illinois
Company of Toledo, Ohio. The l7-ton casting is the largest casting ever made.
September
1969
Passage
by the Chilean Congress of a law modifying importation procedures and freeing
CTIO from certain taxations and limitations of its operations.
June
1970
The
U. of Chile and AURA award the first jointly-financed fellowship for Chilean
graduate students in Astronomy.
March
1971
NASA,
the U. of Chile, and the Smithsonian Institution install on Cerro Morado a station to observe barium clouds injected into the
upper atmosphere by Germany's Max Planck Institute.
March
1971
The
U. of Chile puts into operation a seismograph station on Cerro Tololo.
March
1972
4-m
telescope housing completed.
June
1972
Yale
University agrees to lend its 1-m telescope to CTIO. The telescope is put into
operation one year later.
Mid
1974
A low
wattage microwave relay station is erected on a side spur of Cerro Tololo by
the Chilean Telecommunications Agency, ENTEL, per agreement with AURA.
December
1975
Completion
of fine tuning of, and addition of the Cassegrain secondary to the 4-m
telescope.
Jan
1, 1976
First
visiting astronomers use the 4-m telescope.
1977
At the request of CTIO, the Government of Chile declares Cerro Tololo a privileged scientific sanctuary where mining is prohibited without permission of the President of Chile.
January 1981
Dr. Patrick Osmer is appointed CTIO Director until December 1985.
November
1982
Columbia
University starts operation at CTIO of a 1-m diameter, millimeter radio
telescope.
November
1982
The AURA Board of Directors agrees on a reorganization whereby CTIO becomes part of NOAO along with KPNO and spa. NOAO comes into existence officially on February 1, 1984.
January 1986
Dr. Robert Williams is appointed CTIO Director until July 1993.
November 1993
Dr. Malcolm G. Smith is appointed CTIO Director until October 2003.
November 2003
Dr. Alistair R. Walker is appointed CTIO Director until October 2008.
November 2008, up to date
Dr. Robert C. Smith is appointed CTIO Director.