McDonald Observatory is celebrating the 87th anniversary of its May 5, 1939, dedication, an event that drew many of the leading astronomers of the era to the Davis Mountains.
A commemorative post from the observatory highlights a historic group photograph taken at the dedication, featuring several prominent figures in astronomy, including Walter Baade, Bart Bok, Edwin Hubble, Jan Oort, Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin, Henry Norris Russell, Martin Schwarzschild and Rudolph J. Trumpler.
Founded as a major research facility affiliated with the University of Texas at Austin, the observatory quickly became a key site for astronomical discovery, benefiting from the region’s dark skies and high elevation.
Over the decades, McDonald Observatory has played a significant role in advancing knowledge of stars, galaxies and the broader universe, while also becoming a major destination for public education and stargazing programs in Far West Texas.
The observatory invited the public to share personal memories and milestones connected to visits and events at the site as part of the anniversary celebration.
