Astronomy

McDonald Observatory

Astronomers Investigate Complex Heart of a Cosmic Butterfly

August 28, 2025 • by Emily Howard

The James Webb Space Telescope offers a new view of a planetary nebula located about 3,400 light-years away in the constellation Scorpius.

The complicated structure at the centre of the Butterfly Nebula, NGC 6302. There is a bright source at the centre that is surrounded by greenish nebulosity and several looping lines in cream, orange and pink. One of these lines appears to form a ring oriented vertically and nearly edge-on around the bright source at the centre. Other lines trace out a figure eight shape. Moving outward from these complex lines and green nebulosity, there is a section of red light on either side of the object.

McDonald Observatory

The Universe’s Secret Harvest: UT Astronomers Shed Light on “the Cosmic Grapes”

August 7, 2025 • by Emily Howard

The galaxy contains far more star-forming clumps than current theoretical models can explain.

A lumpy purple galaxy with more than a dozen white clumps representing star forming regions

McDonald Observatory

Some Young Suns Align with Their Planet-forming Disks, Others Are Born Tilted

August 6, 2025 • by Emily Howard

Lauren Biddle, a UT postdoc, finds about one-third of young Sun-like stars are born with misaligned protoplanetary disks.

An illustration demonstrating how a solar system is tilted with respect to the axis of its central star

UT News

Meet the Universe’s Earliest Confirmed Black Hole: A Monster at the Dawn of Time

August 6, 2025 • by Emily Howard

A team of astronomers from UT’s Cosmic Frontier Center have identified the most distant black hole ever confirmed.

An artist's rendition of a black hole includes an exploding cloud around a dot of nothingness, surrounded by stars in outer space.

McDonald Observatory

Stowaway Bat Returns Home Friday, July 25

July 21, 2025 • by Emily Howard

A Big Freetail bat nicknamed Hubble apparently hitched a ride from McDonald Observatory to Austin in astronomy gear.

McDonald Observatory

Giant Magellan Telescope Advances to National Science Foundation Final Design Phase

June 13, 2025 • by Staff Writer

UT Austin is on track for huge leaps forward in astronomy research capabilities as GMT progresses.

A telescope dome under a starry sky at night with an open door and telescope visible inside

McDonald Observatory

COSMOS-Web Releases Deepest Yet View Into the Universe

June 6, 2025 • by Emily Howard

Over 250 hours of observations from the world’s most powerful telescope, the James Webb Space Telescope, are freely available to the public.

A deep view of space is dotted with stars and galaxies

McDonald Observatory

UT’s Cosmic Frontier Center Welcomes New Class of Fellows

May 20, 2025 • by Emily Howard

Their work will support the CFC's mission to uncover the origin of galaxies, black holes and stars in the early universe.

McDonald Observatory

Vast Molecular Cloud Discovered Near Our Solar System

April 28, 2025 • by Staff Writer

One of the largest single structures in the sky, the cloud is about 40 moons across, but not visible to the unaided eye.

A city skyline at night is illuminated by countless lights reflecting off the water in the foreground. Above the city, a full moon glows brightly against a star-studded sky. Dominating the night sky is a large, ethereal purple cloud, adding a surreal and cosmic element to the urban landscape.

McDonald Observatory

JWST Awards UT Astronomers 10% of Its Coveted Observing Time

April 7, 2025 • by Emily Howard

Steve Finkelstein, Danielle Berg, Adam Kraus, Stella Offner and John Chisholm are among UT Austin astronomers leading new James Webb Space Telescope projects.