Grant From U.S. Will Help Preserve the Heritage of the Manuel Foster Observatory

The funds-$185,000 from the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation-will help restore the dome and preserve the historic telescope, located at the summit of San Cristóbal Hill in Santiago, the largest publicly accessible telescope for direct observation in South America.

The Manuel Foster Observatory was the first structure built on the summit of San Cristóbal Hill. More than a century later, this scientific landmark is entering a new chapter in its history: it will receive $185,000 from the United States government for its restoration and preservation.

The funds, provided through the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP), cover the restoration of the dome and the preservation of the historic telescope, including cleaning and re-coating the mirror, which will take from 12 to 15 months of work. In addition, educational material will be produced highlighting the century-long scientific collaboration between the two countries.

"The fact that the support to bring the observatory back to life is coming today from the United States brings full circle more than 120 years of astronomical collaboration between the two countries. For the Manuel Foster Observatory, this funding means that the instrument with which modern astrophysics was born in Chile will once again show people the sky, and it will do so as the largest publicly accessible telescope for direct observation in South America," stated Thomas Puzia, member of the UC Chile Institute of Astrophysics and Director of the Manuel Foster Observatory.

This project was selected from a competitive pool of applications from around the world for the U.S. government's Freedom 250 Program. The initiative exemplifies the global impact of the scientific leadership of the United States and its collaboration with Chile in this field.

The handover ceremony took place this Wednesday at the observatory's own facilities. UC Chile President Juan Carlos de la Llera expressed gratitude for U.S. support in restoring the Manuel Foster Observatory and preserving its scientific legacy, and underscored the collaboration between Chile and the United States, as well as the commitment of bringing this heritage to the new generations.

"Knowledge becomes meaningful when it's shared and put at the service of society and of future generations. Thus, this project aims to do much more than conserving and repairing a dome, a mirror, or a collection of instruments that had their moment of scientific glory. We are preserving the material testimony of an era when international collaboration made it possible to open a new window onto the universe from Chile. We are protecting a part of the scientific history of Chile and, at the same time, a significant chapter in the relationship between our countries," he stated.

The ceremony was attended by the United States Ambassador to Chile, Brandon Judd; the U.S. Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, Sarah Rogers; President Juan Carlos de la Llera of UC Chile, the institution that owns the observatory; and its Director, Thomas Puzia. (Photo credit: César Dellepiane)

A History Spanning Over a Century

The observatory was built in 1903 as a twin of the James Lick telescope, located on Mount Hamilton in California, and during its first 25 years was under the administration of the Lick Observatory. During this period, it generated over 10,700 spectrograms, and made a decisive contribution to our understanding of the structure of the Milky Way. Additionally, it is one of the few observatories of the world-and the Southern hemisphere-that holds the historic distinction of having recorded the passage of Halley's Comet on two separate occasions, in 1910 and 1986. In 1928, attorney Manuel Foster Recabarren acquired the instrument and donated it to UC Chile.

U.S. Ambassador Brandon Judd highlighted the historical and bilateral significance of this initiative, noting that "this contribution not only helps preserve a fundamental piece of Chile's scientific heritage, but also pays tribute to over a century of astronomical collaboration between the United States and Chile."

This collaboration continues to this day and is evident in the presence of major U.S. astronomical projects in Chile. Among them is the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), which operates facilities in Chile such as the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, and the International Gemini Observatory.

"This contribution not only helps preserve a fundamental piece of Chile's scientific heritage, but also pays tribute to over a century of astronomical collaboration between the United States and Chile," stated Ambassador Brandon Judd. (Photo credit: César Dellepiane)

Bringing Science Closer to the People

The telescope has undergone very few modifications over the years and remains in virtually the same condition as it was more than a century ago. It was declared a National Historic Monument in 2010. Since opening to the public in 2022, the observatory has welcomed over 45,000 visitors, including tourists, scientists, and artists.

It is currently open to the general public on Saturdays and Sundays from 12:00 to 18:00 in summer, and from 11:00 to 17:00 in winter. It also offers nighttime observation sessions, which include a lecture on astronomy by astronomers from the UC Chile Institute of Astrophysics, and direct observations through modern professional telescopes.