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100 Years of Public Evening Lectures

 

Lavinia Steward made her historic contribution of $60,000 to the University of Arizona “…TO BUY TELESCOPE OF HUGE SIZE,” on October 18, 1916.  However, the United States entry into World War I delayed the construction of the Steward Telescope and its 36-inch mirror.  That original Steward Telescope was finally used for the first time on July 17, 1922.  It would take another 9 months before the Steward Observatory and Telescope would be formally and officially dedicated on April 23, 1923.

The Telescope, however, was ready to be used before the official dedication date and Prof. Andrew Ellicott Douglass, the first Director of Steward Observatory, did not leave the telescope idle. He invited members of the campus and Tucson communities to view the wonders of the night sky through this new, large (for the time) telescope.  The date was September 28, 1922, and the Steward Observatory Public Evenings were born.

We are thrilled to able to celebrate 100 years of presenting lectures on astronomy and telescope viewing to the public by offering a special Public Evening Lecture on the 100th Anniversary of the very first Steward Public Evening.  

 

Lecture Information - Fall 2022 - Mark Your Calendars!

 

Monday, September 19

100 Years of Steward Observatory

Dr. Thomas Fleming and Dr. Buell Jannuzi, Steward Observatory

 

Wednesday, September 28 - Celebrating 100 Years!

The Webb Telescope: Starting Steward Observatory's Next 100 Years

Dr. Marcia Rieke, Regents Professor, Dr. Elizabeth Roemer Endowed Chair, Steward Observatory

 

Monday, October 3

Imaging Black Holes with the Event Horizon Telescope

Dr. Daniel Marone, Steward Observatory

 

Monday October 17

Floating Above Antarctica: The GUSTO Mission

Dr. Christopher Walker, Steward Observatory

 

Location:  Steward Observatory N210

Doors open at 7:00 pm and Lectures begin at 7:30 pm MST

Nearest parking 2nd Street or Cherry Ave Garage

Telescope viewing follows at 8:30 PM - Weather Permitting

 

In-Person or Watch via NEW ZOOM link https://arizona.zoom.us/j/4470189357

 

For the public
For Public

Public events include our Monday Night Lecture Series, world-reknowned Astronomy Camp and Mt Lemmon Sky Center.

For Students

A good place to start if you want to become an undergrad major or grad student, or need to find our schedule of classes.

 

For Scientists
For Scientists

Find telescopes and instruments, telescope time applications, staff and mountain contacts, and faculty and staff scientific interests.