Announcement

A few tickets are left for "Search for Life on Other Planets with Update from Mars Curiosity Rover." Dr. Christopher Mckay, a NASA astrophysicist charged with planning the human exploration of Mars, will deliver the 2013 Halliday lecture Thursday, May 23, 7:00pm, at the Rio Theatre. Tickets $3. Sponsored by UCO and UCSC Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics.

[More information] [Purchase lecture tickets]

UC Astronomy in the News

Does Antimatter Fall Up or Down?

Forbes Magazine Cites James Lick as All-Time Top Donor to Space Science (pdf)

Distant Blazar is High-Energy Astrophysics Puzzle

TMT Site Approved by Hawaiian Board of Land & Natural Resources

Keck Observatory Celebrates 20th Anniversary

Astronomers Detect Water Vapor on Distant Planet

Naveen Reddy Awarded Sloan Research Fellowship

Stellar Motions in Outer Halo Shed New Light on Milky Way Evolution

Charlie Conroy Awarded Sloan Research Fellowship

Mark Krumholz Awarded AAS Warner Prize

UCO Professors Featured in New Weather Channel series

Discovered: Most Distant Supernova Yet for Measuring Cosmic History

Earth-size Planets Common in Galaxy


Prizes & Awards Won By UC Astronomers

UC Astronomers' Greatest Hits

Archived News: Articles & Videos

Archived Director's Newsletters


UCO Portfolio Review Group Reports Now Available:
The University of California has engaged a Portfolio Review Group to review and advise on systemwide research funding. In response, UCO has represented itself with two reports, one on Keck Observatory and one on UCO itself. These reports and related materials show the full scope of the mission and work of UCO.
[View Reports and Relevant Supplementary Documents]

Take a Visual Tour: Picture Book of UCO Facilities

Aerial view of Mt. Hamilton by Laurie Hatch

The University of California Observatories (UCO) is a University of California Multicampus Research Unit with headquarters at the Santa Cruz campus. Learn more about UC Observatories.

Featured Stories & Links

Lick and Keck Observatories Cited on Smithsonian's List of World's Greatest Science Labs [See List and Commentary]


Lick Observatory's 2013 Summer Visitor Program Celebrates the Great Lick Refractor's 125th Anniversary! The public is invited to observe through the Great Refractor and the Nickel Reflecting Telescope at the Friday Night Visitors Program (FNVP) and the Music of the Spheres concert series (MOS). Tickets on sale now!

[Buy tickets for FNVP] [Buy tickets for MOS]


President Obama presented UCO Director Sandra Faber with the National Medal of Science, one of the highest honors bestowed by the US Government. The National Medal of Science honors individuals "deserving of special recognition by reason of their outstanding contributions to knowledge in [...] the sciences." [View Ceremony Video or Transcript]   [View Ceremony Images]   [Read Press Release]