The 2.1-meter Otto Struve telescope at
McDonald Observatory in west Texas.
M. Harris/McDonald Observatory
A Trip to the Observatory
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to take a trip to an observatory to use the telescope? In February 2006, astronomer Travis Metcalfe was granted 7 nights of observing time on one of the telescopes at McDonald Observatory in west Texas, as part of his research to learn about the
insides of stars.
Come along for the ride in this 5-minute video presentation: Find out why observatories are built in remote locations, where the astronomers sleep and eat while they are on the mountain, and how they spend their time at the telescope.
Best Quality (wmv 76 MB | mpg 78 MB)
High Quality (wmv 30 MB | mpg 61 MB)
Smaller Size (wmv 15 MB | mpg 42 MB)
Fastest Download (wmv 6 MB | mpg 29 MB)
You might also be interested in:
I'm Travis Metcalfe, an astronomer at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado. I made this short video for anyone who's ever wondered what it's like to take a trip to the observatory
...moreHave you ever wondered what it would be like to take a trip to an observatory to use the telescope? In February 2006, astronomer Travis Metcalfe was granted 7 nights of observing time on one of the telescopes
...moreIn conducting their research, scientists often want to know if two sets of data (variables) are related to each other. For instance, you might wonder if the amount of time a student spends reading the
...more Hipparchus was a Greek astronomer who lived between 190-120 B.C. He created the first accurate star map and kept a catalogue of over 850 stars with their relative magnitudes. The system of epicycles describing
...more James Adamson is an American astronaut who was born in New York in 1946. He attended military school from 1965-1969 and studied engineering. From 1969-1980 he stayed in the Army as an aviator and professor.
...more Tom Akers is an American astronaut who was born on May 20, 1951 in Missouri. Before he was an astronaut, Akers was a park ranger, teacher, and Air Force pilot. He has flown 25 different types of aircraft.
...more Joseph Allen is an American astronaut who was born on June 27, 1937 in Indiana. Before he became an astronaut, Allen was a physicist who taught at the University of Washington. Allen became an astronaut
...more Jim Bagian is an American astronaut who was born on February 22, 1952 in Pennsylvania. Before he became an astronaut, Bagian was an engineer and a medical doctor. Bagian became an astronaut in 1980. He
...more