Since the dedication of its first research telescope in 1939, McDonald Observatory has pursued leading-edge astronomical topics, from the chemical abundances of stars and nebulae, to the atmospheres of the planets and moons of the solar system, to the evolution of galaxies. Today, it continues to pursue key topics in astronomy and astrophysics.
Among many current efforts, McDonald Observatory is:
- Mapping millions of galaxies and studying dark energy
- Searching for exoplanets and characterizing their atmospheres, orbits, and stellar environments
- Probing the relationship between the formation of galaxies and their central black holes
- Using white-dwarf stars as probes of the age and chemical evolution of the Milky Way galaxy
These research programs are conducted with world-class telescopes and instruments at the Observatory, and in collaboration with other researchers and observatories around the world.
The inventory of telescopes at McDonald Observatory is led by the 32-foot (10-meter) Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET). A suite of spectrographs, known collectively as VIRUS, can take simultaneous spectra of up to 34,000 target objects, allowing astronomers to potentially view thousands of distant galaxies and other targets in a single night. The Habitable-zone Planet Finder (HPF) spectrograph provides superbly detailed spectra of target objects, offering information on chemical abundances and other characteristics.
New or upgraded spectrographs and photometers also have enhanced the abilities of other telescopes at McDonald, including the 82-inch (2.1 meter) Otto Struve Telescope, which was the first telescope at the Observatory, and the 107-inch (2.7-meter) Harlan J. Smith Telescope.
McDonald Observatory is a partner in the Giant Magellan Telescope, a 82-foot (25-meter) instrument under construction in Chile. The University of Texas at Austin has a leading role in the development of this powerful new telescope, with contributions in instrument design and other fields.
McDonald Observatory offers a fertile training ground for graduate and undergraduate astronomy students in the University of Texas at Austin’s Astronomy Department. At the Observatory, students conduct their own observations and gain experience for their future careers as scientists and teachers. They also get to work with instrument designers and builders, further enhancing their education and experience.