The Kitt Peak National Observatory is located in the Arizona mountains and has telescopes.
The National Science Foundation's NOIRLab runs the Kitt Peak National Observatory, which is located on the land of the Tohono O'odham Nation in Tuscon, Arizona. The Contreras Fire has made it's way to the observatory due to the recent fires in the American Southwest. The fire started as a lightning strike and has made it difficult to fight, according to a press release. According to the Arizona Emergency Information Network, the Contreras Fire has burned over 11,000 acres as of June 16.
The Observatory was hit by a fire early Friday. The observatory said they are working with firefighters to assess the damage. The firefighters working at the site and the Tohono O'odham community have been greatly appreciated by the NOIR Lab. Our priority is safety.
The southern ridge of the mountain was cleared of dry brush and trees in order to stop the fire from reaching the facility. Planes dropped fire-retardant on the area in order to protect the observatory, which was shut down this morning. The fire crested the mountain at 2 a.m. The Hiltner Telescope is one of the four telescopes that are threatened. The first image of a black hole was produced by the University of Arizona's event horizon telescope.
This scientific research station may be the latest casualty of the destructive wildfire season. The Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak fire in New Mexico was the largest fire in the state's history.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
