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A research unit of The University of Texas at Austin located in the Davis Mountains of West Texas

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Latest News

Texas-Sized Computer Finds Most Massive Black Hole in Galaxy M87; Indicates Accepted Masses for Black Holes in Nearby Galaxies Too Small

Astronomers Karl Gebhardt and Jens Thomas have used new computer modeling techniques to discover that the black hole at the heart of one, and perhaps all, of the largest nearby giant galaxies is two to three times more massive than previously thought. The result has consquences for theories of galaxy evolution. More »

Selected Recent News

26 June 2009
Barnes Discusses Observatory History at Austin's Bullock Museum July 1

10 June 2009
Evans Delivers Talk on 'Time, Space, and Galileo' in San Antonio June 21

08 June 2009
Texas-Sized Computer Finds Most Massive Black Hole in Galaxy M87

23 March 2009
McDonald Observatory Holds Open House April 4

16 March 2009
Texas Cosmology Center Established at The University of Texas at Austin

05 March 2009
Texas Astronomer is Co-Investigator in NASA's Kepler Mission to Search for Earth-like Planets

More news »

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Today's Stargazing Tip

Public ProgramsJuly 3: Antares, the bright orange star that represents the "heart" of the scorpion, is a little to the lower left of the Moon as darkness falls tonight. Antares is about 600 light-years away. It is one of the largest and brightest stars in the galaxy.

McDonald Observatory operates an international public outreach program, including the StarDate and Universo radio programs; StarDate magazine; StarDate Online and Universo Online websites.

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