Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy

Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), consortium of U.S. universities that directs the operations of federally funded astronomical research centres. AURA was incorporated in 1957 with seven member institutions; more than 60 years later, 47 U.S. universities and three foreign universities were member institutions of AURA. Under contract with the U.S. National Science Foundation, AURA currently manages Kitt Peak National Observatory, near Tucson, Arizona, and Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, near La Serena, Chile....