Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy

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

Founded October 10, 1957, with the encouragement of the National Science Foundation (NSF), AURA was incorporated by a group of seven U.S. universities: California, Chicago, Harvard, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio State, and Wisconsin. The first meeting of the board of directors took place in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Today, AURA has 47 member institutions in the United States and 3 international affiliate members.

AURA began as a small organization dedicated to ground-based optical astronomy, managing a range of 1- to 4-meter telescopes and providing community advocacy for optical/infrared astronomy. Over the years, AURA expanded its focus to include Solar Astronomy and the Gemini 8-meter telescopes, going on to partner with other consortia such as WIYN (Wisconsin Indiana Yale & NOAO) and SOAR (Southern Astrophysical Research). In the 1980s, AURA took on the management of the Space Telescope Science Institute, opening up the ultraviolet, optical, and infrared wavelength bands in space with the Hubble Space Telescope and in infrared space astronomy with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).

AURA is responsible for the successful management and operation of its three centers: NSF’s National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory (NOIRLab); the NSF's National Solar Observatory (NSO); and the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI).