AUSTIN — Galaxies pollute the environment they exist in, researchers have found.
A team of astronomers including The University of Texas at Austin’s Danielle Berg and John Chisholm used a new imaging system at the WM Keck Observatory in Hawaii to confirm that what flows into a galaxy is a lot cleaner than what flows out. The research is published today in The Astrophysical Journal.
FORT DAVIS, Texas — After more than three decades of bringing the wonders of the night sky to visitors and the public, Frank Cianciolo is retiring from McDonald Observatory at the end of this month. Cianciolo is the manager of the Frank N. Bash Visitors Center.
“Frank Cianciolo’s love for astronomy and masterful knowledge of the night sky have been shared with generations of visitors to McDonald Observatory,” said observatory Director Taft Armandroff. “My colleagues and I thank him for his dedication to McDonald Observatory’s public programs at our Frank N. Bash Visitors Center.”
FORT DAVIS, Texas — The dark skies of far West Texas may soon get even darker, thanks to commitments from communities in the region to reduce light pollution. McDonald Observatory wishes to thank the counties and municipalities in the proposed Greater Big Bend International Dark Sky Reserve; all have now adopted new outdoor lighting ordinances. These are Brewster, Jeff Davis, Presidio, and Reeves counties, and the cities of Alpine, Balmorhea, Marfa, Presidio, and Valentine.
AUSTIN — Nobel laureate Steven Weinberg, a professor of physics and astronomy at The University of Texas at Austin, has died. He was 88.
Nobel laureate Steven Weinberg, a professor of physics and astronomy at The University of Texas at Austin, has died. He was 88.
FORT DAVIS, Texas — David Doss is retiring from McDonald Observatory after half a century of making scientific research happen. As Assistant Manager for Observing Support, he has been there to make sure the telescopes and instruments are in tip-top shape and working as they should, so that astronomers can use them to study the universe.
Astronomers have disproved a 2018-announced planet orbiting Barnard’s Star, the second-closest star to our Sun. The findings are based on observations with the Habitable Zone Planet Finder instrument on the Hobby-Eberly Telescope.
FORT DAVIS, Texas — Astronomers are announcing today that they have disproved a 2018-announced planet orbiting Barnard’s Star, the second-closest star to our Sun. The findings, based on observations with the Habitable Zone Planet Finder (HPF) instrument on the 10-meter Hobby-Eberly Telescope at The University of Texas at Austin’s McDonald Observatory, have been accepted for publication in The Astronomical Journal.
Would you like to help astronomers understand more about the universe? McDonald Observatory astronomers are trying to learn more about dark energy — the mysterious force causing the universe to expand faster and faster over time. And now there is a fun and easy way anyone can help with their research, using a smartphone or computer.
Launched in February, Dark Energy Explorers uses the Zooniverse platform, the largest citizen science organization in the world. Users participate via the Zooniverse website or the Zooniverse smartphone app.
AUSTIN — The Hubble Space Telescope has allowed astronomers from The University of Texas at Austin to get a rare look at a young, Jupiter-sized planet that is growing by feeding off material surrounding a young star 370 light-years from Earth.
“We just don’t know very much about how giant planets grow,” said Brendan Bowler, an assistant professor of astronomy at UT Austin. “This planetary system gives us the first opportunity to witness material falling onto a planet. Our results open up a new area for this research.”
