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Livestream October 22: Our Galactic Neighborhood

For centuries, people thought that the Milky Way was the edge of our universe. That was, until Edwin Hubble found a variable star in the Andromeda galaxy and we were able to literally expand our horizons like never before! Join staff from the McDonald Observatory and Mt. Wilson Observatory as we talk about Edwin Hubble's monumental discovery of nearby galaxies while we enjoy live views of them (weather permitting).

Local Properties Keep Our Stars Bright with Night Sky Friendly Lighting

The night sky is a treasured part of life in the Big Bend region – an awe-inspiring backdrop to our lives. Preserving it takes the support of all in our community. In this effort, three organizations with local properties – Village Fresh Greenhouse Grown, the Brewster County Courthouse, and Terlingua Ranch Lodge – are the latest to adopt nighttime lighting that helps keep our skies dark and stars bright.

UT Austin Welcomes MIT to Giant Magellan Telescope International Consortium

The University of Texas at Austin joins with other members of the Giant Magellan Telescope today in welcoming the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to the international consortium, constructing the $2.6 billion observatory in Chile. The Institute’s participation is enabled by a gift to MIT from philanthropists Phillip (Terry) Ragon ’72 and Susan Ragon.

A Cosmic Puzzle: Phosphine Found in One Brown Dwarf, Missing in Others

A team of researchers, including those at McDonald Observatory, has announced the first significant detection of phosphine in the atmosphere of a cool brown dwarf named Wolf 1130C. With the discovery, astronomers are a step closer to understanding the processes behind how this molecule – an important marker for life - forms. They are also left scratching their heads as to why they haven’t yet detected it in other, similar objects.

Help Renovate Our Visitors Center - Gifts Being Matched!

As our Frank N. Bash Visitors Center enters its third decade in service, we’ve started an extensive renovation of its public spaces. You are invited to be part of this transformative project by contributing to its funding. All gifts are currently being matched by sponsors!