The Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) is a complex of astronomical telescopes and instruments located approximately 80 km to the East of La Serena, Chile at an altitude of 2200 meters. The complex is part of the NOAO along with Kitt Peak National Observatory in Tucson, Arizona. The principal instruments are the 4 meter Victor Blanco reflecting telescope, and the 4.1 meter SOAR telescope, dedicated in April 2004.

The NOAO is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), which also operates the Space Telescope Sciences Institute (Hubble) and the Gemini Observatory. One of the two 8-meter telescopes comprising the Gemini Observatory is co-located with CTIO on AURA property in Chile.

The National Science Foundation is the funding agency for NOAO and the United States portion of the International Gemini Project.

External links

• Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory Home Page
• SOAR Telescope Home Page
• Space Telescope Sciences Institute Home Page
• Gemini Observatory Home Page