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AstroMax
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McDonald Observatory is one of the great observatories in the world. It was build in 1930, under terms of legacy from William Johnson McDonald (1844-1926) a Paris, Texas, banker interested in the stars. A well-educated man, McDonald lived frugally. As a hobby he read science books, and viewed the stars and planets through a small telescope. His will granted to the University of Texas $800,000 "to build an observatory and promote the study of astronomy." The site of McDonald Observatory, situated on Mt. Locke in Jeff Davis County in West Texas, was selected because of its high ratio of clear nights, its 6,800 foot altitude, its distance from artificially-lighted cities, and its quite low latitude that permits observations of southern skies. The observatory was operated for its first 25 years mainly by astronomers from the University of Chicago, more recently by astronomers from the University of Texas. Until 1948, its 82-inch telescope was second largest in the world. Its fine work and site have resulted in the addition of other telescopes, including a 107-inch instrument sponsored jointly by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Science Foundation, and the University of Texas. Discoveries have included interstellar polarization and the satellites of several planets. Text from McDonald Observatory Historical Marker Visit the TSP Web Site:
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The Southwest Region of the Astronomical League is made up of 28 member societies of the Astronomical League in the states of Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico.
Join the AAAA's SWRAL Newsgroup
Hosted by Yahoo Groups and the American Association of Amateur Astronomers The purpose of the SWRAL Yahoo! Newsgroup, hosted by the American Association of Amateur Astronomers, is to create a forum where members of SWRAL clubs can share ideas and experiences, and just get to know each other. If you belong to one of the member societies of the Southwest Region of the Astronomical League, or just want to know more about what is going on in this part of the Astronomical League, please join us as we share ideas about our region and what we can do to encourage more communication between clubs. |
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The American Association of Amateur Astronomers is a member society of the Astronomical League. Based in Plano, TX, and with a worldwide membership, including 15% of its members in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico, AAAA is proud to be one of the ten largest clubs in the Astronomical League, and the second largest club in the Southwest Region.
Unless otherwise noted:
Copyright ©2001 by The American Association of Amateur Astronomers
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