National Astronomical Observatory of Japan

at Mitaka, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan]]
, also known as **NAOJ**, is a Japanese astronomy research organization.  NAOJ has several facilities in Japan; and it has an observatory on Mauna Kea in Hawaii.

## History
NAOJ was established in 1988.  Three institutions merged.  They were the 
* Tokyo Astronomical Observatory of the University of Tokyo
* International Latitude Observatory of Mizusawa
* Research Institute of Atmospherics of Nagoya University.

In 2004, NAOJ became part of the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS).  NINS was created to promote collaboration among researchers of the five constituent institutes. NAOJ merged with four other national institutes.  They were
* National Institute for Basic Biology 
* National Institute for Fusion Science
* National Institute for Physiological Sciences
* Institute for Molecular Science

### Timeline
* **1888** 	Tokyo Astronomical Observatory was established by the University of Tokyo
* **1899** 	Latitude Observatory was established in Mizusawa.
* **1908** 	Astronomical Society of Japan established.
* **1949** 	Nobeyama University Atmospheric Research Center established
* **1960** 	Okayama Astrophysical Observatory established
* **1981** 	Hinotori satellite launched
* **1988** 	NAOJ established
* **1992** 	Nobeyama Radio Heliograph began observations
* **1996** 	Introduction and open use of super computers
* **1997** 	HALCA satellite launched
* **1999** 	Subaru Telescope begain working on Mauna Kea in Hawaii
* **2004** 	NAOJ merged into NINS
* **2006** 	Ishigakishima Obervatory established, Akari satellite  launched
* **2007** 	*Kaguya* satellite launched

## Locations
*Mitaka Campus at Mitaka, Tokyo 
:The Headquarters, Astronomy Data Center, Advanced Technology Center, Public Relations Center
:Solar Flare Telescope, Sunspot Telescope, TAMA 300 gravitational wave detector
:Tokyo Photoelectric Meridian Circle
:Historical instruments: Solar Tower Telescope, 65cm refractor dome, 20cm refractor dome 

*Nobeyama Radio Observatory & Nobeyama Solar Radio Observatory at Minamimaki, Nagano 
:45m Millimeter Radio Telescope, Nobeyama Millimeter Array, Nobeyama Radio Heliograph

*Mizusawa VERA Observatory at Ōshū, Iwate. 
:20m radio telescope, 10m VLBI radio telescope

:Historical building: Dr. Kimura Museum

*Norikura Solar Observatory at Mount Norikura, Nagano 
:10cm Coronagraph, 25cm Coronagraph

*Okayama Astrophysical Observatory at Mount Chikurinji, Okayama. 
:188cm telescope, 91cm telescope, 65cm Coude-Type solar telescope

*VERA 20m radio telescopes
:Mizusawa
:Ogasawara. 
:Iriki. 
:Ishigakijima.  

*Hawaii Observatory on the island of Hawaii
:Subaru 8m telescope (Mauna Kea) 
:Hilo Base Facility (Hilo, Hawaii). 

## Projects
* Hinode
* SELENE

## Gallery

File:Equatorial Mount at NAOJ Mitaka Campus.JPG|The Mount Mitaka telescope was made by Carl Zeiss, 1921
File:Norikura Solar Observatory、乗鞍コロナ観測所、8128356.JPG|Norikura Solar Observatory
File:Nobeyama Millimeter Array.jpg|Nobeyama radiotelescope array
File:Subaru mk summit light.jpg|Subaru Telescope

## Related pages
*Institute of Space and Astronautical Science

## References
## Other websites
*National Astronomical Observatory Of Japan website