Simons Observatory

A new-generation cosmic microwave background observatory located in Chile’s Atacama Desert.

A large, rectangular radio telescope structure sits on a rocky landscape under a star-filled night sky.

About

The Simons Observatory is a powerful new experimental cosmology facility comprising a set of millimeter-wavelength telescopes located at high-altitude in the Atacama Desert of Northern Chile, roughly one hour from the town of San Pedro de Atacama.

Formed through support from the Simons Foundation and the founding institutions, and with its collaborating institutions across the globe, the observatory is committed to extending our understanding of the origin, evolution, and composition of the Universe and advancing the state-of-the-art of precision telescope technologies.

The Simons Observatory builds on decades of support and investment of precursor experimental cosmology instruments by the National Science Foundation. The team behind the observatory is dedicated to scientific discovery and making its cutting-edge cosmology and millimeter-wavelength astrophysics results accessible to everyone.

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People

A man with short dark hair, a beard, and hoop earrings, wearing a black turtleneck, stands indoors with a neutral expression and a blurred background.

Simone Aiola

Data and Pipeline Project Leader, Center for Computational Astrophysics

Portrait photo of Brian Keating

Brian Keating

Director, Simons Observatory

Adrian Lee

Co-Director, Simons Observatory

Suzanne Staggs

Co-Director, Simons Observatory

Video Archive

Speaker

Brian Keating

Portrait photo of Brian Keating