The Department of Astronomy at The University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX
Joined February 2014
Texas Astronomy retweeted
5,4,3,2,1... 🚀… We’re launching an exhibition of truly stellar proportions: "Stargazing." And we need you, earth dwellers everywhere, to help make it happen. Learn more about how your gift can help the Blanton and join the mission today! give.utexas.edu/mission-star…
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Texas Astronomy retweeted
✨The @mcdonaldobs is helping lead a #NASA mission to study the dust between stars! Learn about PUFFINS, and how new clues about tiny dust particles play an important role in how stars and planets form! ow.ly/JxOu50ZVys8
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Texas Astronomy retweeted
What happens when night isn’t dark anymore? Join Stephen Hummel of McDonald Observatory to explore what orbital reflectors could mean for astronomy and dark skies. 📅 Sept. 28 | 3 PM CT Register: darksky-org.zoom.us/meeting/… #DarkSkyTexas
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Texas Astronomy retweeted
✨ More job opportunities with the @mcdonaldobs have been posted! There are positions listed in West Texas as well as on the gorgeous @UTAustin main campus!🤘 🔗 Find out more and apply: ow.ly/HYea50ZRxPK
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Texas Astronomy retweeted
Two experts. Two perspectives. One conversation about our night skies. Join Stephen Hummel and Dr. Brett Seymoure to explore Reflect Orbital’s potential impacts on astronomy, wildlife, and ecosystems. 📅 Sept. 28 | 3 PM CT Register: darksky-org.zoom.us/meeting/… #DarkSkyTexas
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Texas Astronomy retweeted
✨ While visiting the Big Bend region earlier this spring reporting on International Dark Sky Week, Katrina and photographer Emily Elconin spent time at the @mcdonaldobs learning about dark energy!
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Texas Astronomy retweeted
Award-winning @nytimes science reporter Katrina Miller is giving a talk @UTAustin next week | RSVP deadline is today! 🔗 ow.ly/QkPP50ZR0k6 Learn about her pivot from science research to reporting on science, and the future role of science journalism!
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The hydrogen in your body and present in every molecule of water came from the Big Bang. There are no other appreciable sources of hydrogen in the universe. The carbon in your body was made by nuclear fusion in the interior of stars, as was the oxygen. Much of the iron in your body was made during supernovas of stars that occurred long ago and far away. The gold in your jewelry was likely made from neutron stars during collisions that may have been visible as short-duration gamma-ray bursts or gravitational wave events. Elements like phosphorus and copper are present in our bodies in only small amounts but are essential to the functioning of all known life. The featured periodic table is color coded to indicate humanity's best guess as to the nuclear origin of all known elements. The sites of nuclear creation of some elements, such as copper, are not really well known and are continuing topics of observational and computational research. Image Credit: NASA's GSFC, SVS
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Texas Astronomy retweeted
The Moon huddles close to the heart of the scorpion this evening, the star Antares. It’s among the 15 brightest star systems in the night sky. Its surface is thousands of degrees cooler than the Sun’s, so the star looks orange. [Stellar giants; Dave Jarvis / CC BY-SA 3.0]
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Sometimes your eyes need a minute to focus when you wake up. Roman's Wide Field Instrument just woke up for the first time EVER, and scientists have started adjusting its "eyes" so they can focus on the bigger picture. Check out its first test image below go.nasa.gov/4j51w30
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Texas Astronomy retweeted
New employment opportunities with @mcdonaldobs have been posted! ⭐ As a research unit of @UTAustin, there are positions listed both at the Observatory out in star-studded West Texas, as well as on the gorgeous UT campus in Austin! 🤘 🔗 ow.ly/2Pto50ZLARx
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Texas Astronomy retweeted
Special Livestream - Next Week! Family Astronomy: Moon Phases & Eclipses Sept 16th 7:30 p.m. CT 🌕 @mcdonaldobs invites young astronomers and their families to join us and learn about the Moon! 🤔 Please have your curious scientists bring their questions! ow.ly/w6px50ZLEWc
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We're hiring two faculty positions this year! One is an open search for a tenure-track professor and one is for a tenured or tenure-track position in astronomical information. 🔭✨ More info in the AAS job register: aas.org/jobregister/ad/210c5… aas.org/jobregister/ad/2d1b7…
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Texas Astronomy retweeted
You've likely heard about the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope launch yesterday. Use of this incredible instrument is already highly coveted, and @UTAustin won more resources to use the telescope than researchers at ANY other university in the country!🤘 mcdonaldobservatory.org/2026…
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Texas Astronomy retweeted
Proud to welcome important visitors to @mcdonaldobs this week, incl. Brent Stringfellow (Assoc VP @UTOperations & the University Architect), Carrie West (Assist. VP of Planning, Design & Constr.), and Andreas Matouschek (@TexasScience Sr. Assoc. Dean for Research & Resource Mgmt
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There's a nearly-total lunar eclipse tomorrow and it's visible in Austin! If it's not visible where you are because of weather or location, TimeandDate.com will have a live stream: timeanddate.com/live/eclipse…
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Texas Astronomy retweeted
The Moon passes thru Earth’s long shadow on Thursday night, creating a lunar eclipse! Join us for eclipse details, the brightest star of Aries, and much more, this week — on StarDate! stardate.org/podcast/2026-08… [Image Credit: NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio]
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