Tag Archives: astronomy
For Astronomers’ Sake, Some Drillers Cut Their Lights
FORT DAVIS — As a cool breeze blew across the 6,800-foot mountain that Coyne Gibson stood on, he gazed at a night sky dotted with constellations, planets and meteors — all visible to the naked eye, thanks to the surrounding … Continue reading
New Telescope Mirrors Will Help McDonald Observatory Researchers Study Dark Energy
Almost seven years ago, teams of engineers and scientists began designing mirrors for a telescope to study the universe’s dark energy. That’s the mysterious energy many scientists theorize the universe is largely made up of. No such mirrors had ever … Continue reading
Texas Astronomers Discover an Ancient Solar System
It’s been a busy start to the new year for astronomers at the McDonald Observatory near Fort Davis. In January, researchers announced their discovery of what they describe as a black hole “choking” on a star, and the observatory has also … Continue reading
Astronomers Find Black Hole Choking on a Star
A team of astronomers at the McDonald Observatory have reported a remarkable discovery – a black hole choking on a star. The discovery came as the team was searching for supernovae – exploding stars that produce an extremely bright flash in the sky. They were … Continue reading
Texas “Fireball” Spotted at McDonald Observatory
Last Saturday, people across Texas reported seeing a massive ball of light streak across the night sky just before 9 pm. Reports of a massive, greenish-yellow streak of light poured in from San Antonio to Houston, from Terlingua to Midland-Odessa. … Continue reading
Friday Interview: Dr. Taft Armandroff, New Director of McDonald Observatory
In a broadcast recorded live at the McDonald Observatory near Ft. Davis, Texas, MPR reporter Lorne Matalon and Morning Edition anchor Travis Bubenik spoke with Dr. Taft Armandroff, the recently appointed director of the observatory. The three met up at … Continue reading
West Texas Energy Boom A Threat To Astronomy
World-class observatories like Mount Wilson near Los Angeles and Palomar north of San Diego are cramped by the intrusion of urban light to once unspoiled night skies. Facing the same problem in the 1970s, scientists at Kitt Peak National Observatory … Continue reading
Researchers Find “Groundbreaking” Proof of Cosmic Inflation
What’s being held as one of the most significant scientific breakthroughs in decades has created a flurry of media attention this week. Researchers at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics say they’ve discovered our first direct proof of cosmic inflation – … Continue reading