Light pollution definition & astronomical impact
Chapter 1

The nomadic search for dark skies

Chapter 2

The giant dish of Sierra Negra

Chapter 3

Catching cosmic rays in giant water tanks

Ch 1 · The nomadic search for dark skies
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Glossary
altitude (noun)
The height of an object or place measured above sea level. For astronomers, building observatories at high altitudes gets telescopes above the clouds and thick air, giving them a crystal-clear view of the universe.
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Aug 19

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Quiz

¿Por qué el Observatorio Astronómico Nacional de México tuvo que cambiar de ubicación varias veces a lo largo de su historia, pasando de la Ciudad de México a Puebla y finalmente a la lejana Sierra de San Pedro Mártir en Baja California?

Aug 19

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Newborn stars actually blast high-speed jets that light up their nurseries!

choko Learn how Guillermo Haro co-discovered Herbig-Haro objects, the glowing gas patches lit up by high-speed jets from newborn stars.

Aug 18

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Mexico City's glare got so bright it literally blinded its own telescopes.

choko Discover how light pollution from Mexico City blinded its own observatory telescopes, forcing astronomers to relocate to darker, remote peaks.

Aug 18

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City lights chased Mexico’s first national observatory off a castle balcony.

choko See how Mexico City's growth and light pollution forced astronomers to move the national observatory from Chapultepec Castle in this infographic.

Aug 18

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choko Mexican Dark Sky Observatories

We fled the city lights, climbed the pine-covered peaks, to find the endless dark of San Pedro Mártir!

Aug 6

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choko San Pedro Mártir's pristine peaks

Aug 6

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San Pedro Mártir's pristine peaks

choko Explore the pristine peaks of San Pedro Mártir, home to Mexico's premier professional astronomical observatories, in this detailed infographic.

Aug 6

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Fun Fact

Baja California's dark skies: The San Pedro Mártir National Park has strict lighting laws to protect the observatory's views, making it one of the darkest places in North America.

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Aug 6

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The classic era of Tonantzintla

choko View historical images from the classic era of the Tonantzintla Observatory, a key site for professional astronomy in Mexico.

Aug 6

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Glossary
light pollution (noun)
The presence of unwanted or excessive artificial light that brightens the night sky and obstructs astronomical observations. This interference forced Mexico's National Astronomical Observatory to relocate to San Pedro Mártir in 1971.

Aug 6

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Quiz

Where was Mexico's National Astronomical Observatory first established in 1878?

Aug 6

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Gossip

Would you live in a remote mountain observatory for a month?

Aug 6

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Chiquito Sky Scout
BETA

choko Play the Chiquito Sky Scout game to explore the robotic night watch and professional astronomical observatories in Mexico.

Aug 6

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choko From castles to city lights

Aug 6

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Quiz

Which university has operated Mexico's National Astronomical Observatory since 1929?

Aug 6

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choko The 2.1-meter optical titan

Aug 6

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Quiz

What type of cosmic objects did astronomer Guillermo Haro discover using the Tonantzintla telescope?

Aug 6

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Quiz

In which decade did professional astronomical operations begin at the San Pedro Mártir site?

Aug 6

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Quiz

At what altitude is the San Pedro Mártir Observatory in Baja California located?

Aug 6