National Solar Observatory (NSO) is a world-renowned astronomical research institution supported by the National Science Foundation. NSO operates facilities at two locations, one in New Mexico and one in Hawaii. The primary mission of NSO is to advance our knowledge of the Sun, both as an astronomical object and as the dominant external influence on Earth.
NSO was established in 1966 with the construction of the McMath-Pierce Telescope on Kitt Peak near Tucson, Arizona. This telescope remains one of the largest solar telescopes in the world and has been used to make many important discoveries about the Sun. In 1975, NSO began operating a second facility on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. The Mees Solar Facility consists of several smaller telescopes that are used for complementary studies of the Sun.
Over its fifty year history, NSO has made many significant contributions to our understanding of solar physics. These include measurements of solar oscillations that have yielded important information about conditions inside the Sun, studies of magnetic fields that have shown how energy is transported from deep within the Sun to power explosive events on its surface, and observations leading to new insight into how stars like our Sun form and evolve over time.
As we look ahead to the next fifty years, NSO will continue to play a vital role in furthering our understanding of not only our own star but also stars throughout our galaxy and beyond.