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A comparison of Earth and Kepler-1649c, an exoplanet only 1.06 times Earth's radius. Credit: NASA/Ames Research Center/Daniel Rutter

Hawkins found that the chemical 'DNA,' or spectra, of twin stars born together are identical, as shown here. Hawkins captured these spectra of two stars in a binary pair using the Harlan J. Smith Telescope at McDonald Observatory. (The background image is an artists' concept of a binary star.) Credit: K. Hawkins/UT Austin (data) and NASA/JPL-Caltech/T. Pyle (background)

StarDate is a public education and outreach arm of The University of Texas at Austin McDonald Observatory. The StarDate radio program airs daily on about 400 stations. The bimonthly StarDate magazine is the perfect skywatching companion for amateur astronomers or anyone interested in celestial events and space exploration. And StarDate Online puts skywatching information and more at your fingertips at http://stardate.org.

Gas density and velocity (top) and magnetic field strength and magnetic field lines (bottom) showing magnetic waves propagating ahead of the wind shell. The left and right panels show different models. The waves stand out when the surrounding gas is not turbulent. Credit: Stella Offner/UT Austin

Models of two turbulent clouds without stars (left) and with stars launching winds (right). The colors show gas speed: grey (6-10 km/s), blue (12-25 km/s), and red (180-250 km/s). Credit: Stella Offner/UT Austin

Construction is ongoing for the McDonald Geodetic Observatory. Credit: McDonald Observatory

The site for the McDonald Geodetic Observatory’s 12-meter radio telescope dish is being prepared at the base of Mount Locke, near the Frank N. Bash Visitors Center. The dish will rest on a concrete pier attached to bedrock, soon to be poured in the rebar-filled box at center. Credit: Frank Cianciolo/McDonald Observatory

The horizon seems to catch fire as the Sun rises in the Davis Mountains as seen from McDonald Observatory. Credit: Ethan Tweedie Photograghy

A beautiful sunrise over the Davis Mountains seen from McDonald Observatory. Credit: Ethan Tweedie Photograghy

The Astronomers Lodge sits beneath the dome of the Harlan J. Smith Telescope atop Mt. Locke. The dome of the Otto Struve Telescope is at right. Credit: Ethan Tweedie Photography