The Monterey Institute for Research in Astronomy (MIRA) is an independent, non-profit, professional astronomical observatory dedicated to astronomical education and research, near Monterey, California. It was the first private professional observatory in the United States to open in the 20th century. MIRA was founded in 1972. The acronym "MIRA" was chosen because of the unusual star of that name and the reference to the astronomically-relevant Spanish word for ‘look’. The idea for an independent observatory came from Bruce Weaver and Craig Chester, then astronomy graduate students at Warner and Swasey Observatory, Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio; the other founders were Donna Burych, Cynthia Irvine, Nelson Irvine, Albert Merville, Anne Merville, Hazel Ross, and Sandra Weaver. The group of "nearly penniless and doomed graduate students" were concerned about how they would manage to work in astronomy. According to MIRA astronomer Arthur Babcock, during the early 1970s, as "the glory days of space exploration were winding down", the scientists wanted a place where they could do long range research without the "demanding cycle of academia" and constant publishing. As observational stellar astronomers, they needed constant access to a large telescope. Working at the Kitt Peak Observatory in Arizona was a possibility but opening their own observatory was even better; it started off as a joke but over time and in discussion with the other close-knit students it received serious contemplation. A meeting at a lecture with astronomer Bart Bok, who was very enthusiastic about the idea, encouraged the students. More information...
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