MMT in the News
Leave a CommentPhysics Today featured an article on LBTI but mentions how nulling was first developed at the MMT in the late 90s. You can read the article here.
The observing schedule for February 2022 – July 2022 can be found here.
International Dark-Sky Week begins April 22
Leave a CommentThe Governor’s office has included observatories in Arizona in a proclamation for Dark-Sky Week, which begins April 22 through April 30.
Staff Technician Job Posting
Leave a CommentOur Staff Technician job posting is now active on the UA website. Job Posting #8278 can be found here
MMT Observing Schedule: February 2022 – July 2022
Leave a CommentBinospec in Nature Astronomy – See the photo!
Leave a CommentBinospec data was recently published in Nature Astronomy. Read the paper here.
The evolutionary path of a low-mass disky galaxy in a cluster (counterclockwise) on an orbit with a substantial tangential component: (a) a star-forming low-mass spiral enters the cluster; (b) once it travels towards the central region of the cluster, ram pressure ignites star formation and causes stripping of the gas from the disc: a galaxy enters the jellyfish stage with a gas-rich tail of striped material and star formation happening within the tail; (c) the gas is completely expelled and/or consumed into stars both in the disc and in the tail, star formation is quenched, the disc expands, a galaxy becomes “post-jellyfish” like all the objects we found in the Coma cluster; (d) a few Gyr later as a result of passive evolution, a galaxy turns into a dwarf elliptical or an ultra-diffuse galaxy depending on the progenitor’s mass and gas content.
COVID Information
Leave a CommentIn light of recent public health and safety concerns, all classical observing will be done remotely. For additional information or training, please contact Susan Wahl. Whipple Observatory’s visitor and science center, as well as tours, are closed to the public until further notice.
Telescope Operations Specialist, Sr. Job Posting
Leave a CommentOur Telescope Operations Specialist, Sr. job posting is now active on the UA website. Job Posting #7908 can be found here.
MMT Observing Schedule: August 2021 – January 2022
Leave a CommentThe observing schedule for August 2021 – January 2022 can be found here.
Dr. Jacques Beckers obituary
Leave a Comment
Dr. Jacques Beckers, 87, passed away on February 26, 2021 in Scottsdale, Arizona. Jacques was the first Director of the new Multiple Mirror Telescope after it was dedicated in 1979 and served in that role until 1984. His obituary is available here.
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Update: Mechanical failure in the Hecto fiber positioner
Leave a CommentThe Instrument Support Group and SAO team (working remotely) continue to work on the issue with gripper #2 in the Hectospec fiber positioner. We anticipate returning the instrument to service in early 2021b.