Catalina Station

History

The Catalina Station site was selected by Gerard P. Kuiper of the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory (LPL) at the University of Arizona in 1960. He believed that a slightly higher location than an alternate site at Kitt Peak National Observatory would be better for LPL's purposes, and Mt. Bigelow was both higher and easily accessible from the University of Arizona via the Catalina Highway. Construction began in late 1962 and the first telescope, a 21-inch reflector, began operating in early 1963. At this time the site was known as Catalina Observatory. The first telescope was at CS Site I, and later in 1963 a 28-inch telescope opened at CS Site II, about 0.5 km (0.31 mi) to the southeast. In 1965 a 61-inch telescope was opened at Site I, followed by two similar 60-inch telescopes at Site II shortly thereafter. In 1969 a 40-inch reflector was erected near Site II, adjacent to a FAA transmitter. As a condition for occupying the Mount Lemmon Observatory (MLO) site, the USFS required LPL to vacate Site II, which was completed in 1972. The 40-inch telescope remained until 1975, when it too was moved to Mount Lemmon Observatory. In 1972, a 28-inch Schmidt camera replaced the 21-inch reflector. The 61-inch Kuiper and the Schmidt camera continue to be used, though they have been upgraded several times. In 1978, the site was transferred from the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory to the Steward Observatory. In 1989, it was first referred to as the Catalina Site, and later became known as the Catalina Station.