Research & Publications
Research in the Astronomy Program at The University of Texas is divided roughly into five categories: Planetary Systems, Stars, Extragalactic, Interstellar and Theory. There is also work in Instrumentation and Device Development, as well as research in Astronomy Education & Public Outreach.
The Planetary Systems and
Interstellar research groups have
joined forces around a common theme, star and planet formation. Members of these groups address topics related
to the solar system and other planetary systems, including star formation, protoplanetary disk formation and evolution,
planetary atmospheres, comets and asteroids, and planetary nebulae. UT-Austin also hosts one of the most active
planet-search teams in the world.
McDonald Laser Ranging Station
Star Formation & Protoplanetary Disks
Spitzer Legacy Project: Gould's Belt
HII Regions & Planetary Nebulae
Members of the Stars group study various properties of
stars, including their chemical composition, pulsations, and evolution, as well as the properties of compact objects such as
white dwarfs and neutron stars. The members also use stars as tracers of the formation and evolution of our own Galaxy.
Members of the Extragalactic group work on a broad array
of astrophysical questions relating to the expansion history of the universe, the evolution of cosmic structures,
reionization, galaxy mergers and secular processes, galaxy clusters, black holes, dark matter, and dark energy.
Reionization Era & First Galaxies
Work in Instrumentation & Device Development
currently includes production of VIRUS, the integral field spectrograph array for the Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment (HETDEX),
GMTNIRS, a near infrared spectrograph for the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT), and IGRINS: Immersion Grating Infrared Spectrograph.
Instrumentation & Device Development
HETDEX: Dark Energy Experiment
Members of the Theory group study a broad range of problems in astrophysics and cosmology. These studies
involve various physical processes operating in diverse environments and vastly different length scales: in
planets, stars, and the interstellar medium; in supernovae and gamma-ray bursts; in galaxies, supermassive
black holes, and the intergalactic medium; and in the universe as a whole. The Theory Group's research activities
cover all the important epochs and events in the cosmic history, from the Big Bang to the ongoing processes
in the solar system.
Stellar Astrophysics
Planetary Sciences
Cosmology
Extragalactic Astrophysics
Theoretical & Computational Astrophysics
Galactic Evolution
McDonald Observatory is one of the country's leaders in astronomy Education & Public Outreach. The Education and Outreach Office
manages programs in professional development for teachers, star parties, and facility tours at the Visitors' Center in West Texas, which hosts
60,000 visitors per year. StarDate radio, the oldest and most popular radio program of its kind in the country, reaches an estimated 5 million people
weekly. Outreach websites are accessed by nearly a million unique visitors each month. These programs provide opportunities for both researchers and
the public.
Education & Public Outreach
Radical Transformations: Studying the Coma Cluster with Hubble Space Telescope
The Galaxies and Cosmos Explorer Tool (GCET)
Space Vision: Making Astronomy Accessible to Visually Impaired Students
White Dwarf Stars & the Age of the Galaxy