CU Beats Alabama For Solar Observatory

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) -- The University of Colorado in Boulder says it's been selected as the new headquarters of the National Solar Observatory, beating out the University of Alabama.

The headquarters will serve as the principal science and data analysis center for the organization. It has the world's largest collection of solar telescopes and instruments designed to detect the sun's minute details.

The University of Colorado partnered with the New Jersey Institute of Technology and the University of Hawaii on the winning bid.

The observatory currently has offices in Arizona and New Mexico, which will be shut down after operations are moved to Colorado. The university says that's not expected to happen until 2016.

Backers have said the headquarters could provide jobs for up to 70 scientists, engineers and staff.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)