McDonald Observatory

Coordinates: 30°40′17″N 104°01′19″W / 30.6714°N 104.022°W / 30.6714; -104.022
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
McDonald Observatory
The observatory from the southeast. The Hobby–Eberly Telescope on Mt. Fowlkes (left) and the Harlan J. Smith and Otto Struve Telescopes on Mt. Locke (right).
Alternative names711 MC Edit this at Wikidata
Named afterWilliam Johnson McDonald Edit this on Wikidata
Organization
Observatory code 711 Edit this on Wikidata
LocationJeff Davis County, Texas
Coordinates30°40′17″N 104°01′19″W / 30.6714°N 104.022°W / 30.6714; -104.022
Altitude2,077 m (6,814 ft) Edit this at Wikidata
Established1933 Edit this on Wikidata
Websitemcdonaldobservatory.org Edit this at Wikidata
Telescopes
McDonald Observatory is located in the United States
McDonald Observatory
Location of McDonald Observatory
  Related media on Commons
[edit on Wikidata]

McDonald Observatory is an

The University of Texas at Austin
. It is an organized research unit of the College of Natural Sciences.

The observatory produces

National Public Radio
and commercial radio stations — about 400 affiliates in all.

History

McDonald Observatory

McDonald Observatory was originally endowed by the Texas banker

Harlan J. Smith.[3]

Research today at the McDonald Observatory encompasses a wide variety of topics and projects, including the search for and understanding of

planetary systems, stars and stellar spectroscopy, the interstellar medium, extragalactic astronomy, and theoretical astronomy. The Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment, or HETDEX,[4] is a multi-year undertaking to decode the nature of dark energy.[5]

Directors[3]

Observatory

Dome of the 10 m Hobby-Eberly Telescope. It houses one of the largest optical telescopes in the world.

McDonald Observatory is equipped with a wide range of instrumentation for

lunar laser ranging station. It works closely with the astronomy department of The University of Texas at Austin while maintaining administrative autonomy.[citation needed] The high and dry peaks of the Davis Mountains make for some of the darkest and clearest night skies in the region and provide excellent conditions for astronomical research.[citation needed
]

Electric motors and position sensors at the Otto Struve Telescope at the McDonald Observatory, Texas

The

Spur 78, is the highest point on Texas highways.[11] The Harlan J. Smith Telescope, also on Mt. Locke, was completed in 1968.[12][13]

The

Keck Telescopes as the second or third largest telescope in the world. However, its cost was about 20% that of other similarly sized telescopes in use today due to its optimization for spectroscopy
.

Additionally, The University of Texas at Austin is a founding partner of the international collaboration to build the Giant Magellan Telescope. McDonald Observatory administrators, scientists, and engineers are heavily involved in the endeavor. Director Taft Armandroff currently serves as Vice Chair to the GMT Board of Directors, and has served as chair.

Telescopes

Domes of the 2.1 m Otto Struve Telescope (left) and 2.7 m Harlan J. Smith Telescope (right)

Currently, the observatory operates four research telescopes at its West Texas site:

A 0.9 m (36 in) telescope, formerly used for research, is now used for visitor programs.[18][19]

Tenant telescopes

The two peaks also host a number of other instruments:

Former telescopes

Climate

The observatory experiences a semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk) with cool, dry winters and hot, wetter summers.

Climate data for Mount Locke, Texas (Jan 1, 1935–Mar 31, 2013)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 80
(27) 		79
(26) 		88
(31) 		94
(34) 		96
(36) 		104
(40) 		100
(38) 		104
(40) 		96
(36) 		94
(34) 		82
(28) 		80
(27) 		104
(40)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 53.5
(11.9) 		56.9
(13.8) 		63.7
(17.6) 		71.4
(21.9) 		78.6
(25.9) 		84.5
(29.2) 		82.7
(28.2) 		81.3
(27.4) 		76.6
(24.8) 		70.5
(21.4) 		61.2
(16.2) 		54.4
(12.4) 		69.6
(20.9)
Daily mean °F (°C) 42.7
(5.9) 		45.4
(7.4) 		51.0
(10.6) 		58.3
(14.6) 		65.5
(18.6) 		71.4
(21.9) 		70.8
(21.6) 		69.8
(21.0) 		65.5
(18.6) 		59.3
(15.2) 		50.0
(10.0) 		44.0
(6.7) 		57.8
(14.3)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 32.0
(0.0) 		33.9
(1.1) 		38.2
(3.4) 		45.2
(7.3) 		52.4
(11.3) 		58.2
(14.6) 		58.9
(14.9) 		58.4
(14.7) 		54.4
(12.4) 		48.0
(8.9) 		38.7
(3.7) 		33.6
(0.9) 		46.0
(7.8)
Record low °F (°C) −10
(−23) 		−6
(−21) 		4
(−16) 		11
(−12) 		26
(−3) 		36
(2) 		40
(4) 		40
(4) 		29
(−2) 		13
(−11) 		8
(−13) 		−2
(−19) 		−10
(−23)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 0.68
(17) 		0.49
(12) 		0.40
(10) 		0.50
(13) 		1.63
(41) 		2.49
(63) 		3.83
(97) 		3.69
(94) 		2.95
(75) 		1.61
(41) 		0.61
(15) 		0.60
(15) 		19.46
(494)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 1.9
(4.8) 		0.8
(2.0) 		0.2
(0.51) 		0.1
(0.25) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.1
(0.25) 		0.4
(1.0) 		1.2
(3.0) 		4.7
(12)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.001) 3.75 3.13 2.62 2.77 5.93 8.75 12.00 11.56 9.32 5.91 2.94 3.29 71.45
Source: Western Regional Climate Center, Desert Research Institute[27]

Visiting

Inside the dome of the Harlan J. Smith telescope during a guided tour

The Frank N. Bash Visitors Center, located between Mt. Locke and Mt. Fowlkes, includes a gift shop and interactive exhibit hall. The Visitors Center conducts daily live solar viewings in a large theater and tours of the observatory's largest telescopes. It also hosts evening star parties, every Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday evening which allow visitors to look through numerous telescopes of various sizes in the Rebecca Gale Telescope Park.[28]

Special Viewing Nights, during which visitors can stay on-site (not required for the programs) and view directly through eyepieces on the 0.9 m and Struve (2.1m) telescopes, are held on a reservation-only basis.

Gallery

  • Entrance to the observatory
    Entrance to the observatory
  • Frank N. Bash Visitors Center
    Frank N. Bash Visitors Center
  • McDonald Observatory's Visitor Center's sun dial
    McDonald Observatory's Visitor Center's sun dial
  • Harlan J. Smith Telescope preparing for observations
    Harlan J. Smith Telescope preparing for observations
  • Texas historical marker
    Texas historical marker
  • Texas highway marker at McDonald Observatory
    Texas highway marker at McDonald Observatory

See also

References

  1. ^ "About | McDonald Observatory". McDonald Observatory. Retrieved 2012-01-10.
  2. ^ The Film & Video Archive of the McDonald Observatory. "Franklin Mountains and Dedication Ceremony (1939)". Texas Archive of the Moving Image.
  3. ^ a b Evans, David S., University of Texas at Austin McDonald Observatory, Texas State Historical Association
  4. ^ HETDEX
  5. ^ "UT Astronomy - Research". University of Texas at Austin Astronomy Program. Retrieved 2012-01-10.
  6. ^ McDonald Observatory Visitors Center Named for Former Director Dr. Frank N. Bash, The University of Texas McDonald Observatory, 2006-07-17
  7. ^ American Astronomical Society Confers Highest Honor on McDonald Observatory Director David Lambert, The University of Texas McDonald Observatory, 2007-02-05
  8. ^ Leading Astronomer Taft Armandroff Appointed New Director of McDonald Observatory, The University of Texas McDonald Observatory, 2014-01-14
  9. ^ "McDonald Observatory - 2.1-m Telescope". University of Texas at Austin Astronomy Program. Retrieved 2012-01-10.
  10. ^ "The Otto Struve Telescope | What Are Astronomers Doing? | McDonald Observatory". McDonald Observatory. Retrieved 2012-01-10.
  11. ^ Dindinger, Peter. (25 August 2009). "The Highest Point on Texas Highways". Retrieved 2012-01-10.
  12. ^ "McDonald Observatory - 2.7 m Telescope". University of Texas at Austin Astronomy Program. Retrieved 2012-01-10.
  13. ^ "The Harlan J. Smith Telescope | What Are Astronomers Doing? | McDonald Observatory". McDonald Observatory. Retrieved 2012-01-10.
  14. ^ "Hobby-Eberly Telescope". University of Texas at Austin Astronomy Program. Retrieved 2012-01-10.
  15. ^ "The Hobby-Eberly Telescope | What Are Astronomers Doing? | McDonald Observatory". McDonald Observatory. Retrieved 2012-01-10.
  16. ^ "UT Astronomy - 0.8 m Telescope". University of Texas at Austin Astronomy Program. Retrieved 2012-01-10.
  17. ^ "0.8-meter Telescope | What Are Astronomers Doing? | McDonald Observatory". McDonald Observatory. Retrieved 2012-01-10.
  18. ^ "UT Astronomy - 0.9 m Telescope". University of Texas at Austin Astronomy Program. Retrieved 2012-01-10.
  19. ^ "0.9-meter telescope | What Are Astronomers Doing? | McDonald Observatory". McDonald Observatory. Retrieved 2012-01-10.
  20. ^ "Welcome to MONET / Astronomie & Internet". University of Göttingen. Archived from the original on 2017-03-18. Retrieved 2010-10-02.
  21. ^ "McDonald Observatory - Laser Ranging System". University of Texas at Austin Astronomy Program. Retrieved 2012-01-10.
  22. ^ "BU Imaging Science - The Boston University 20-inch Telescope at McDonald Observatory". Boston University Center For Space Physics. Retrieved 2012-01-10.
  23. ^ "ROTSE Home Page". Robotic Optical Transient Search Experiment. Retrieved 2012-01-10.
  24. Bibcode:1990BAAS...22R.620.
  25. ^ Johnson, Rebecca (2008-05-01). "McDonald Observatory gets Solar BLOOMhouse « Know". Retrieved 2012-01-30.[permanent dead link]
  26. ^ "US COOP Station Map". Western Regional Climate Center, Desert Research Institute. Archived from the original on May 3, 2015. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
  27. ^ "MOUNT LOCKE, TEXAS (416104), Period of Record Monthly Climate Summary". Western Regional Climate Center, Desert Research Institute. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
  28. ^ "McDonald Observatory | Public Programs, Star Parties, Tours and Special Viewing Night". McDonald Observatory. Archived from the original on 2011-12-17. Retrieved 2012-01-10.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to McDonald Observatory.
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