Cerro Tololo-DECam
Image: Wikimedia Commons
Cerro Tololo-DECam refers to the Dark Energy Camera, a wide-field imaging instrument mounted on the 4-metre Víctor M. Blanco Telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile.
About Cerro Tololo-DECam
DECam is not a separate building but an instrument: a large digital camera built for wide-field imaging surveys, attached to the Blanco Telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile's Coquimbo Region.
Location & getting there
The camera operates from the Cerro Tololo site in northern Chile, one of the driest and clearest places on Earth for astronomical observation, which is why so many major telescopes cluster on this stretch of the Coquimbo Region.
Visiting Cerro Tololo-DECam
As an instrument rather than a standalone visitor facility, DECam is best seen as part of a visit to Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory. Check NOIRLab's website for current public visit arrangements before travelling.
See your named star from here
A star named through Star Register comes with precise coordinates that a survey instrument like DECam could, in principle, capture in one of its wide-field images. Name a star or browse the catalogue to see stars already named.
Opening hours and public-visit programs vary by season. Check Google Maps for current times before you travel.
