University of California Observatories

UCO Mission

The University of California Observatories (UCO) is a Multi-Campus Research Unit of the University of California, with headquarters at the UC Santa Cruz campus. UCO operates on behalf of the astronomers at all ten UC campuses and is comprised of extensive technical facilities, a business office, telescope and support facilities at the Lick Observatory on Mt Hamilton and a staff of astronomers. View full UCO Mission Statement.

UCO Operates

Lick Observatory on Mt. Hamilton, conducting both research and public programs
UCO Technical Labs, located at UCSC, designing and fabricating state-of-the-art instrumentation for observatories throughout the world

UCO Collaborates

As managing partner of W.M. Keck Observatory
On large-scale multi-institutional projects such as the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) and Center for Adaptive Optics (CfAO)

UCO News & Events

UCO Newsletter from Director Mike Bolte

Lick Observatory Music of the Spheres concert series VIP, Preferred, and Standard tickets are on sale now. VIPs receive guided tour inside Shane 3-m telescope dome. Book now for best selection! [More]

NOTE: Dave Rocha Jazz Trio Concert SOLD OUT! Purchase tickets for other concerts now.

Summer Visitors Program 2009 tickets are sold out.

On April 3-4, Lick and Keck Observatories were featured in Around the World in 80 Telescopes, a 24-hour webcast from the world's greatest astronomical observatories. Astronomers at each observatory presented their facilities and research,hosted by European Southern Observatory (ESO).

View Lick Observatory webcast

View Keck Observatory webcast

NEW! Photo Gallery of UCO Conferences and Events

Contacts & Credits

Please email webeditor@ucolick.org before reusing photos from this website.

Background image: Hubble Ultra Deep Field, courtesy of NASA, ESA, S. Beckwith (STScI) and the HUDF Team.

Construction of Shane Dome, Lick Observatory: photo c. 1951 (click image for enlargement). UCO celebrates the 50th birthday of the Shane 3-m telescope this year! When commissioned in Fall 1959, it was the second-largest reflector in the world. Its adaptable design and the skill of the UCO/Lick Engineering shops have kept the 3-m's instrumentation current throughout the years. It is still used nearly every night of the year for research.

The public is invited to tour inside the Shane dome as a VIP in Lick Observatory's Music of the Spheres summer concert series. Order tickets now for best selection of concerts. [More]

Awards & Accolades

UCSD professor Frank Shu was awarded $1 Million Shaw Prize in Astronomy, in recognition of his outstanding lifetime contributions in theoretical astronomy. His theoretical contributions on spiral structures in galaxies and on star formation have shaped modern astrophysical research in these areas, influencing the direction of both theoretical and observational studies. [More]

UCSD astrophysicist Frank Shu was awarded the Catherine Wolfe Bruce Gold Medal for lifetime achievement in astronomy. His contributions to astrophysics range from the density-wave theory of spiral structure in disk galaxies, to the process of mass transfer in interacting binary stars, to modeling the formation of stars and planetary systems. [More]

UCB professor Alex Filippenko elected to National Academy of Sciences, in recognition of distinguished and continuing achievements in original research. This is one of the highest honors that can be awarded to a US scientist. [More]

UCSC assistant professor Mark Krumholz was awarded a 2009 Sloan Research Fellowship. Sloan Foundation Fellowships support the work of exceptional young researchers early in their academic careers and include a $50,000 grant providing unrestricted support for research over a two-year period. [More]

UCSC professor & Department Chair Sandra Faber was awarded the 2009 Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science. The Franklin Institute issued this award for her extraordinary advances in our knowledge of astrophysics and for innovative leadership in the astronomical facilities development. [More]

CfAO Director & UCSC professor Claire Max was awarded Princeton's Madison Medal, a top honor for alumni. The award honors her pioneering work in adaptive optics (AO) which revolutionized earth based telescopes, resulting in clearer observation and imaging. She now uses AO to study merging black holes in galactic centers. [More]

More Awards & Accolades