Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy

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.

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).

Construction project: The Vera C.Rubin Observatory - a public-private partnership to operate an 8.4-meter telescope on Chile’s Cerro Pachon.

The board, which meets quarterly, establishes the policies of AURA, approves its budget, elects members of the Management Councils, and appoints the president, the center directors, and other principal officers.

[2] List of members as of 2022:[3] The asteroid 19912 Aurapenenta was named in honour of the association's fiftieth anniversary, on 1 June 2007.†