page_title: Kitt Peak National Observatory
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Kitt Peak National Observatory / History
caption_attribution_description: Sign
context_page_description: The Kitt Peak National Observatory is a United States astronomical observatory located on Kitt Peak of the Quinlan Mountains in the Arizona-Sonoran Desert on the Tohono O'odham Nation, 88 kilometers west-southwest of Tucson, Arizona. With over twenty optical and two radio telescopes, it is one of the largest gatherings of astronomical instruments in the northern hemisphere.
  Kitt Peak National Observatory was founded in 1958. It was home to what was the largest solar telescope in the world, and many large astronomical telescopes of the late 20th century in the United States.
  The observatory was administered by the National Optical Astronomy Observatory from the early 1980s until 2019, after which it was overseen by the National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory.
context_section_description: The Kitt Peak National Observatory of the United States was dedicated on March 16, 1960. At the dedication a 36-inch telescope and various facilities were ready. Construction was underway for the then planned 84 inch telescope. (i.e the KNPO 2.1 meter)
  The 84 inch (2.1 m) had its first light in September 1964.
  Over the decades the mountaintop hosted many telescopes, and achieved a variety of discoveries. Some examples of astronomical research KNPO contributed to include the study of "Dark Matter", Cosmic distances, high-redshift galaxies, and the bootes void. In addition, the observatory has engaged in variety of public outreach and education programs.
  In 2018, KNPO established plans for its Windows on the universe Center for Astronomy Outreach.
caption: Sign at Kitt Peak National Observatory
exif: {"Image Make": "Apple", "Image Model": "iPhone 4", "Image Orientation": "Horizontal (normal)", "Image XResolution": "72", "Image YResolution": "72", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image Software": "5.1.1", "Image DateTime": "2012:07:11 17:33:18", "Image ExifOffset": "180", "EXIF ExposureTime": "1/559", "EXIF FNumber": "14/5", "EXIF ExposureProgram": "Program Normal", "EXIF ISOSpeedRatings": "80", "EXIF ExifVersion": "0221", "EXIF DateTimeOriginal": "2012:07:11 17:33:18", "EXIF DateTimeDigitized": "2012:07:11 17:33:18", "EXIF ShutterSpeedValue": "3267/358", "EXIF ApertureValue": "4281/1441", "EXIF BrightnessValue": "7518/925", "EXIF MeteringMode": "Pattern", "EXIF Flash": "Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode", "EXIF FocalLength": "77/20", "EXIF SubjectArea": "0", "EXIF FlashPixVersion": "0100", "EXIF ColorSpace": "sRGB", "EXIF ExifImageWidth": "2592", "EXIF ExifImageLength": "1936", "EXIF SensingMethod": "One-chip color area", "EXIF ExposureMode": "Auto Exposure", "EXIF WhiteBalance": "Auto", "EXIF SceneCaptureType": "Standard", "EXIF Sharpness": "Hard"}