Apache Point Observatory - History

History

The ARC was formed in 1984 with the goal of building the 3.5 m telescope. It originally consisted of five institutions: New Mexico State University, University of Washington, University of Chicago, Princeton University, and Washington State University, which has since withdrawn. Four additional organizations have joined over time: the Institute for Advanced Study, Johns Hopkins University, University of Colorado, and University of Virginia. Funding for the 3.5 m and 0.5 m telescopes comes from consortium, but funds for the 2.5 m telescope come from a much wider array of sources. The 1.0 m telescope is supported exclusively by NMSU.