Cerro Pachón
Encyclopedia
Cerro Pachón is a mountain located close to Chile
an city of Vicuña
and 10 km southeast of the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory
, at an altitude of 2,715 m over the sea level in the foothills of the Andes
. The location is exceedingly dry, making it suitable for infrared
observations. The air overhead is very stable, yielding excellent seeing. During the summer months, Cerro Pachón is often above the haze layer that can envelop lower altitudes.
There are currently two telescopes commissioned on Cerro Pachón, Gemini South and the Southern Astrophysical Research Telescope. A third, the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope
, is planned.
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
an city of Vicuña
Vicuña, Chile
Vicuña is a Chilean commune and city in Elqui Province, Coquimbo Region, founded during the government of Bernardo O'Higgins to secure sovereignty over the Elqui Valley. The famous Chilean poet Gabriela Mistral was born there in 1889. It borders to the west with the communes of La Higuera, La...
and 10 km southeast of the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory
Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory
The Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory is a complex of astronomical telescopes and instruments located at 30.169 S, 70.804 W, approximately 80 km to the East of La Serena, Chile at an altitude of 2200 metres. The complex is part of the National Optical Astronomy Observatory along with Kitt...
, at an altitude of 2,715 m over the sea level in the foothills of the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
. The location is exceedingly dry, making it suitable for infrared
Infrared
Infrared light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength longer than that of visible light, measured from the nominal edge of visible red light at 0.74 micrometres , and extending conventionally to 300 µm...
observations. The air overhead is very stable, yielding excellent seeing. During the summer months, Cerro Pachón is often above the haze layer that can envelop lower altitudes.
There are currently two telescopes commissioned on Cerro Pachón, Gemini South and the Southern Astrophysical Research Telescope. A third, the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope
Large Synoptic Survey Telescope
The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope is a planned wide-field "survey" reflecting telescope that will photograph the available sky every three nights. The LSST is currently in its design and development phase and will achieve engineering first light four years after construction starts...
, is planned.