Las Cumbres Observatory is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its founding as a global telescope network. Since its establishment as a nonprofit corporation in 2005, LCO has revolutionized the field of time-domain astronomy, transforming how scientists track dynamic celestial events like supernovae, exoplanets, and gravitational wave counterparts.
What began as an ambitious concept by visionary tech engineer Wayne Rosing has matured into a seamless, interconnected network operating dozens of robotic telescopes across multiple continents. Acting as a single, software-driven instrument, LCO allows astronomers to continuously monitor the night sky 24/7 without geographic interruption. Over the years, hundreds of astronomers around the globe have made discoveries with LCO data and many of those have been highlighted on the LCO website.
"My vision was to build a global network of fully robotic optical telescopes, connected via the internet, that functions as a single giant instrument to provide 24/7 sky coverage. Twenty years later we’ve achieved that goal, delivering rapid-response observations for cutting-edge astronomical research. As we enter our next decade, we are expanding the LCO network to reach students and educators around the world," said founder Wayne Rosing. "We are proud to live up to LCO’s motto: 'We keep you in the dark.'"
The 20-year milestone coincides with an exciting new chapter for the observatory. In September 2026, Dr. Gerard van Belle took the helm as LCO's new President and Observatory Director, bringing extensive expertise in optical instrumentation and observatory management from his previous roles at internationally recognized institutions like NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the European Southern Observatory, and Lowell Observatory.
"LCO's combination of world-class infrastructure, sophisticated software, and an agile global network is unique and innovative," noted Director van Belle. "The observatory's third decade comes at the beginning of a new era, with lightning alerts of dramatic events in the sky from facilities like the Vera C. Rubin Observatory and NASA's Roman Space Telescope. Our rapid-response network has grown and matured over the past 20 years, and is now uniquely positioned to handle this flood of discovery."
Looking ahead, Las Cumbres Observatory continues to support state-of-the art time domain astronomy with staff scientists running international projects in the fields of supernovae, exoplanets, and solar system science. The organization continues to scale its software capabilities, integrate advanced computational tools, and expand its vital educational programs, ensuring that the next generation of global stargazers and researchers will remain connected to the cosmos.
The public will be invited to a celebration and open house later this year - please stay tuned.
