Observatories in Hawaii and Chile??

Question

There are two locations where many observatories have been built recently: Mauna Kea in Hawaii and Cerro Tololo and Cerro Pachon in Chile.

Describe these two locations in a bit more depth. Why are they prime locations for observatories? What are some considerations astronomers must take into account when they are searching for a prime location for an observatory? Is State College, Pennsylvania, a good place for a world-class optical telescope?

Why are there so many telescopes in Chile? Why have we not just put them all on Mauna Kea?

Answer 1

First, they need to be in a location above dust generated by natural and man-made sources. Second, they have to be as far away from civilisation as possible, due to light pollution.

The obvious locations are - mountains, which need to be at least to some extent accesible by say, road. Naturally, when you invest several billions of dollars in a project, you want to pick a good place. This leaves a small number of places on the planes that are suitable, and these two are among them.

As for the why not all in one place - I think it's because Chile can cover the Southern skies, while the Mauna Kea observatory observes the Northern skies.

Answer 2

Mauna Kea in Hawaii and Cerro Tololo and Cerro Pachon in Chile are prime locations for observatories because they have high altitudes and are isolated.

Astronomers must take into account the ease of access, atmospheric conditions and visibility statistics when they are searching for a prime location for an observatory.

State College, Pa does not have the necessary altitude and the area is too congested.  It would not be a good location for an observatory.

Chile has almost 4000 miles of remote and isolated mountainous coastline facing the Pacific Ocean, perfect conditions for locating observatories.

Answer 3

For optical telescopes, most ground-based observatories are located far from major centers of population in order to avoid the effects of light pollution. The ideal locations for modern observatories are sites that have dark skies, a large percentage of clear nights per year, dry air, and are at high elevations. At high elevations, the Earth's atmosphere is thinner thereby minimizing the effects of atmospheric turbulence and resulting in better astronomical "seeing".

Answer 4

that's because the southern hemisphere night sky is more amazing than in the north... more brighter stars and galaxies can be found on the southern half