University of Texas Austin - Cactus Yearbook (Austin, TX)

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WATCHFUL EYE: Katia Cunha, doc- toral candidate in astronomy, keeps the 82-inch telescope pointed at a distant star for a spectroscope reading. ON STANDBY: Showing the 101-inch tel- escope, Marc Wetzel, physics under- graduate from UT-Arlington, conducts one of the daily tours of the obser- vatory. 22 McDonald Observatory

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1 TEXAS SUNSET: The sun goes down on the 30-inch telescope. The dome was opened well in advance to equalize internal and external temperatures. STARSTRUCK: Time exposure of the 107-inch and 36-inch telescopes reveals the nightly motions of the stars. CONTEMPLATION: Be- ginning a night ' s work, Edward Robinson, professor of astronomy, concentrates as he focuses the 107-inch tel- escope. McDonald Observatory 21

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Deep in the Heart of The observatory planned to build a new telescope on the mountain in conjuction with Pennsylvania State University. The Spectroscopic Survey Tele- scope would combine 85 smaller mirrors to produce a total mirror diameter of ten meters, becoming one of the three largest telescopes in the world. It was designed specifically for spectroscopy, the science of analyzing light spectra. Optical astronomy was not the only area of interest at the observatory. [McDonald] includes much more than that mountain in West Texas, Frank Bash, new director of the Observatory and professor of astronomy, said. A millimeter wave telescope used to measure radio radiation not visible to the human eye and laser ranging equipment used to measure the distance to the moon to within inches were also included on the mountain. In partnership with the California Institute of Technology, University radio astronomers also op- erated a radio telescope in Mauna Kea, Hawaii. They previously had access to the two-mile radio telescope 40 miles south of Mount Locke in Marfa until it was dismantled later in the year. The astronomers ' work consisted of more than simply gazing though telescopes. Teaching played an important role in the Department of Astronomy, which served more than 6,000 students a year. Bash estimated that he had taught astronomy, mainly freshman level, to between 5,000 and 10,000 stu- dents since his arrival at the University in 1967. The observatory also was accessable to the public, hosting about 100,000 visitors a year. With the ex- ception of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year ' s Day, the W.L. Moody Visitors ' Information Center conducted tours every day of the year. In addition, the observatory hosted regular solar viewings and star parties. The only event at the observatory for which ad- mission was charged was the monthly public veiwing night at the 107-inch telescope. McDonald was the only observatory in the world to open its largest telescope to the public. The astronomers on Mount Locke contemplated such things as the age and size of the universe, and they relished the prospect of public interest in their work. Bash summed up the attitude best. It ' s easy to be a good astronomy teacher, because all of us are very evangelistic about astronomy. We all love it, and we all want to convey our love of it to other people, Bash said. NIGHTLIGHT: The streak of a flashlight illuminates the path to the 82-inch and 107-inch telescopes. FIELDING QUESTIONS: A solar viewing open to the public is conducted at the observatory by Robert Scheppler, program coordinator. McDonald Observatory 23