View source for Infrared Optical Telescope Array

{{Short description|Former observatory in Santa Cruz County, Arizona}}
{{Infobox telescope}}
The '''Infrared Optical Telescope Array''' ('''IOTA''') was a [[stellar interferometer]] array. IOTA began with an agreement in 1988 among five Institutions, the [[Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory]], [[Harvard University]], the [[University of Massachusetts Amherst]], the [[University of Wyoming]], and [[MIT]]/[[Lincoln Laboratory]], to build a two-telescope stellar [[interferometer]] for the purpose of making fundamental astrophysical observations, and also as a prototype instrument on which they could perfect techniques which could later lead to the development of a larger, more powerful array. On site construction went on for all 1993 and 1994, with first fringes in December 1993. It is located at [[Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory]].
In 2000 the third telescope came online providing [[closure phase]] observations, allowing [[aperture synthesis|aperture synthesis imaging]] to be performed for the first time at IOTA. The array was decommissioned and disassembled in summer 2006 due to lack of funding.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.keckobservatory.org/three-telescope_interferometer_shows_patchy_red_giants_are_common_fate_of_s/|title = Three-telescope interferometer shows patchy red giants are common fate of stars like Sun – W. M. Keck Observatory}}</ref>
== See also ==
* [[List of astronomical interferometers at visible and infrared wavelengths]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
[[Category:Infrared telescopes]]
[[Category:Optical telescopes]]
[[Category:Interferometric telescopes]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Santa Cruz County, Arizona]]
[[Category:1993 establishments in Arizona]]
[[Category:2007 disestablishments in Arizona]]