• Live Video Feed from MGO’s VLBI Station October 25, 2022

McDonald Geodetic Observatory’s VLBI Station consists of a 12m antenna which operates within the VGOS network led by NASA’s Space Geodesy Project. This antenna and several others around the world help to determine the Terrestrial Reference Frame, which is the antenna’s locations on Earth, as well as the International Celestial Reference Frame, which is the …

• Picture of the Day October 27, 2020

October 27, 2020 – First Freeze of the Season at McDonald Geodetic Observatory

• McDonald Geodetic Observatory SGSLR dome is installed and passes Site Acceptance Testing February 18, 2020

The MGO SGSLR dome installation occurred January 22nd through the 25th with the Site Acceptance Testing successfully completed on the 25th. Participating in the installation was a four-person team from the manufacturer, Baader Planetarium, as well as Howard Donovan (KBR), Alice Nelson (KBR) and Jan McGarry (NASA/GSFC). Also there for this installation was Ole Klingan …

• Smithsonian’s Air & Space Magazine features geodesy and UT’s McDonald Geodetic Observatory August 28, 2019

How Satellites and Telescopes are Tracking the Effects of Global Change, Down to the Millimeter By Alexandra Witze Air & Space Magazine September 2019 In the Davis Mountains of far west Texas, at the University of Texas McDonald Observatory, astronomers spend their nights peering at the stars through some of the world’s most powerful telescopes. Soon they’ll be adding …

• UPDATE – McDonald Geodetic Observatory’s VLBI Antenna Dish Passes NASA’s Site Acceptance Test February 21, 2019

UPDATE: On February 20, 2019, NASA Space Geodesy Project Director Dr. Stephen Merkowitz announced the Agency’s formal “site acceptance” of MGO’s VLBI radio telescope. Extending congratulations to all involved, Dr. Merkowitz stated that, “I really appreciate all of the hard work everyone put in over the past several weeks (particularly during the Government shutdown!) to get …

• UPDATE – New Geodetic Observatory Coming to UT Austin’s McDonald Observatory February 11, 2019

UPDATE: On February 7, 2019, the skyline of UT’s McDonald Observatory changed significantly as contractors successfully placed the antenna dish of MGO’s first major instrument — the Very Long Based Interferometer (VLBI) radio telescope — on its pedestal. Installation of additional MGO instruments, such as the Space Geodesy Satellite Laser Ranging (SGSLR) system, will occur …

• New Geodetic Observatory Coming to UT Austin’s McDonald Observatory August 20, 2018

A new scientific facility is under construction on the grounds of The University of Texas at Austin’s McDonald Observatory that will help scientists better understand Earth and could help minimize the effects of geohazards such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, sea level changes and landslides. Called the McDonald Geodetic Observatory, it is funded by a $4.25 million …