The Center for Astrophysical Research in Antarctica (CARA) was a large collaboration headquartered initially at Yerkes Observatory of the University of Chicago that worked to explore the environment at Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station for expanded astrophysical observations. 1994 was the first winter-over season during which CARA sent its own full-time scientists, a team of three, to the South Pole. In a tight-knit community of twenty seven, Briggs experienced the adventure of a lifetime during his year-long stay.  High atop 9,300 feet of ice on the Antarctic plateau, the Station environment is so extreme that specialized aircraft can visit safely only during four months of the southern summer.  Thus, the winter experience, once begun, is an irrevocable commitment. In necessary brevity, but using lavish images and amusing anecdotes, the speaker will highlight the human experience of life at South Pole, including the otherworldly environment, the odd natural phenomena, the necessary infrastructure, the driving science, and the quirky but fun-loving society that evolves naturally as the weeks and months pass by. The temperature fell as low as -77° Celsius (-106.6° Fahrenheit). A highlight of 1994 was the impact of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 into Jupiter, an event that drew worldwide media attention as being more completely observed from South Pole Station than anywhere else on Earth.

How did a local boy go from using Dunedin's Beverly-Begg Observatory to (almost) discover Supernova 1987A, to using the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope to find the most distant Fast Radio Burst? In this talk I shall reflect on how having access to such a well-equipped and located observatory, supported by passionate amateur astronomers, could set someone on the path to a fulfilling career in astronomy.

The Schmidt camera telescope was the first instrument of the National Astrophysical Observatory of Tonantzintla (NAOT), established in Mexico in 1942. It was acquired on the recommendation of Harvard College Observatory astronomers, primarily Harlow Shapley, the director. Thanks to its wide field of vision and the ease for direct photography, it was useful for creating star catalogues. When it was installed, it was one of fewer than ten such telescopes in the world.
Many astronomers in the Northern Hemisphere, especially in the United States, but also in Europe, were interested in this telescope. Also, due to its latitude, they had access to southern skies, and Mexicans were eager to share observation time with them. This led to numerous collaborations and exchanges between northern and Mexican astronomers. Foreign astronomers could use the Mexican telescope with support from local personnel, while Mexican astronomers benefited from the opportunity to learn and strengthen ties with the international astronomical community.
Although strictly speaking Tonantzintla is geographically located in the Northern Hemisphere of the American continent, in this presentation we will argue that the NAOT may be considered a southern observatory. For this purpose, we will review its relationship with northern astronomers and compare its development with other southern observatories in Latin America like Peru, Argentina and Chile to open a discussion.
As additional information, the Tonantzintla plate Collection contains 15,686 Schmidt Camera plates: 10,445 for direct imaging and 5,241 for spectroscopy with an objective prism. The plates date from October 1944 to November 1994.