The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) is a consortium of universities and other institutions that operates astronomical observatories and telescopes.

Centers

• Gemini Observatory managed by AURA for an international partnership to operate twin telescopes, one on Mauna Kea in Hawaii and the other on Cerro Pachon in Chile.
• National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) - AURA operates NOAO telescopes at Kitt Peak in Arizona and Cerro Tololo in Chile.
• National Solar Observatory (NSO) - AURA operates NSO conducting research at Sacramento Peak in New Mexico and at Kitt Peak in Arizona.
• Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) - AURA manages STScI for NASA to carry out the scientific mission of the Hubble Space Telescope.
• New Initiative Office (NIO) - AURA established the NIO to work towards construction of a Giant Segmented Mirror Telescope.

Members

Members have been distinguished between being: a) Private, or Public Institutes, b) Whether the focus is on Education or Research at the Institute, and c) The level of education provided according to a tiered system. The Carnegie Institution, is the exception, as it is less of a school, and more of a research organization.

United States

• Boston University (Private Research University)
• California Institute of Technology (Private Research University)
• Carnegie Institution of Washington (Research Organization)
• Georgia State University (State College)
• Harvard University (Private Educational University)
• Indiana University (Public Research University)
• Iowa State University (State College)
• Johns Hopkins University (Private Educational University)
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Private Research University)
• Michigan State University (State College)
• Montana State University (State College)
• New Mexico State University (State College)
• Ohio State University (State College)
• Pennsylvania State University (State College)
• Princeton University (Private Research University)
• Rutgers University (Public Research University)
• State University of New York (State College)
• University of Arizona (Public Research University)
• University of California, Berkeley (Public Research University)
• University of California, Santa Cruz (Public Research University)
• University of Chicago (Private Research University)
• University of Colorado (Public Research University)
• University of Florida (Public Research University)
• University of Hawaii (Public Educational University)
• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Public Research University)
• University of Maryland, College Park (Public Research University)
• University of Michigan (Public Research University)
• University of Minnesota (Public Educational University)
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Public Research University)
• University of Texas at Austin (Public Research University)
• University of Virginia (Public Research University)
• University of Washington (Public Research University)
• University of Wisconsin-Madison (Public Research University)
• Yale University (Private Educational University)

International affiliates

• Australian National University (Public Research University)
• Leiden University (Public Research University)
• Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (Private Educational University)
• Universidad de Chile (Public Educational University)
• Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (Public Educational University)

Honours

The asteroid 19912 Aurapenenta was named in honour of the association's fiftieth anniversary, on 1 June 2007.

External links

• Official website

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