Posts by McDonald Observatory
August 6, 2003
Exploding Stars: Asymmetry with Cosmological Consequences
Austin, Texas—University of Texas at Austin astronomers, along with colleagues in California and Europe, have discovered new facts about the exploding stars called supernovae that could have effects on the big cosmic questions — how old is the universe, how […]
July 11, 2003
Summer Brings New Attractions to McDonald Observatory
FORT DAVIS, Texas—New attractions at McDonald Observatory’s Visitors Center allow patrons to catch an up close and personal view of the Sun, as well as garner in-depth insights about science and skywatching in a small-group setting. A $10 thousand donation […]
June 20, 2003
Media Advisory: Westcave Preserve & McDonald Observatory Present Summer Solstice Events June 21
EVENT: Westcave Preserve is holding a summer solstice celebration Saturday. McDonald Observatory’s Dan Lester will discuss the Preserve’s solar observatory, which he helped design. Visitors will view an image of the Sun safely produced by a telescope (weather permitting) — […]
May 5, 2003
What are Astronomers Doing at McDonald Observatory?
AUSTIN, Texas — Do you ever wonder what astronomers do at an observatory? A new website from The University of Texas at Austin McDonald Observatory reveals exactly which cosmic questions astronomers are trying to solve right now. Updated weekly, the […]
January 31, 2003
StarDate Magazine Celebrates 30 Years
AUSTIN, Texas — The University of Texas at Austin’s McDonald Observatory celebrates 30 years of publishing StarDate magazine this month. The publication began in its life in January 1973 as the typewritten, photocopied newsletter McDonald Observatory News. It has grown into a […]
January 31, 2003
Astronomer, Educator Hemenway Inducted into Texas Hall of Fame for Science, Mathematics, and Technology
AUSTIN, Texas — Mary Kay Hemenway, astronomy education expert with The University of Texas at Austin, was inducted into the Texas Hall of Fame for Science, Mathematics and Technology on January 20. A Senior Lecturer and Research Associate at the […]
December 3, 2002
Texas astronomers make precise measure of extrasolar world’s true mass
AUSTIN, Texas — McDonald Observatory astronomers Fritz Benedict and Barbara McArthur have made the first ‘positional’ calculation of an extrasolar planet’s mass. The work clearly determines the companion is a planet (not a low-mass star), and is an incremental step […]
October 9, 2002
McDonald Observatory Planet Search finds first planet orbiting close-in binary star
Austin, TX— Astronomers with the McDonald Observatory Planet Search project have discovered the first planet orbiting a star in a close-in binary star system. The discovery has implications for the number of possible planets in our galaxy, because unlike the […]
September 17, 2002
UT-Austin astronomer discovers massive black holes in two star clusters
AUSTIN, Texas — University of Texas at Austin astronomer Karl Gebhardt and colleagues have discovered the first black holes lurking in the hearts of two giant clusters of stars. The research provides clues to how the much-heavier “supermassive” black holes, […]
September 16, 2002
NEWS MEDIA AVISORY UT-Austin astronomer’s black hole discoveries subject of NASA news conference
EVENT Televised and Webcast news conference on a University of Texas at Austin astronomer’s black hole discoveries WHEN 11 a.m. (CST), Tuesday, Sept. 17. WHERE The news conference, called a Space Science Update, will originate from NASA headquarters in Washington […]
May 10, 2002
Texas astronomer brings infrared space telescope team to UT-Austin
Austin, TX — A team of astronomers led by UT-Austin’s Neal Evans will meet in Austin today and tomorrow to plan their Legacy Science Project with NASA’s next major Earth-orbiting observatory. The Space Infrared Telescope Facility, or SIRTF, is scheduled […]
April 9, 2002
Texas Astronomer uses Hubble Space Telescope to Solve Mystery of Favorite Galaxy
Austin, TX — For more than a quarter-century, Fritz Benedict’s thoughts have been 40 million light-years away, focused on a distant cosmic pinwheel in the constellation Coma Berenices. Now, his findings about spiral galaxy NGC 4314 constitute the cover story […]
March 8, 2002
Media Representatives Invited to April 6 Preview of New McDonald Observatory Visitors Center
Fort Davis, TX — McDonald Observatory has long been one of the most-visited travel destinations in Texas, and there’s even more to enjoy now with the April 6 official opening of the new McDonald Observatory Visitors Center! The Center will […]
February 6, 2002
HET Goes “Back to Nature”
Fort Davis, Texas — McDonald Observatory staff are cutting garage-door-sized holes all around the enclosure of the 9.2-meter Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET), and fitting them with giant steel “venetian blinds” called louvers. This should allow the HET, one of the world’s […]