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

Observational Astronomy Workshop at Lick Observatory October 1 - 4, 2010 is open to entering first year grad students. Workshop will be run by the Lick Support Astronomers and will feature hands-on experience with the Kast spectrograph on the Shane telescope, the Hamilton spectrograph on the Coude Auxiliary Telescope (CAT), and direct imaging with the Nickel 1-m reflector. Registration period is August 1 - September 10. [More Information and Registration Form]

8/19/10: UCO/Lick Observatory launches its new Administrative and Business Offices website!

Osterbrock Room Dedicated: On April 9, 2010, UCSC Chancellor George Blumenthal dedicated a Group Study room in UCSC's Science and Engineering Library to former UCO/Lick Observatory Director Donald E. Osterbrock. Faculty, staff, friends, and family were in attendance. [View Photos]

Lick Observatory Honors Kenneth and Gloria Levy with inaugural James Lick Award [More]

Apollo 11 Anniversary: 41 years ago Lick Observatory shot a laser at a small reflective target on the moon to precisely measure the distance between earth and moon. Read first-hand account by Remington Stone, Lick Support Scientist.

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.

The Automated Planet Finder (APF) is Lick Observatory's newest telescope. This fall, when it begins operations, it will search preprogrammed target stars to find extrasolar planets--planets outside of our solar system. Its findings will be automatically relayed to the scientific team led by UCSC's Steve Vogt and UCO engineer Matt Radovan. The ultimate goal of this research is to find a habitable Earth-like rocky planet orbiting a nearby star.

[Read article from San Francisco Chronicle]
Photo copyright Laurie Hatch

Awards & Accolades

UCSC professor Jerry Nelson was awarded a 2010 Kavli Prize by the Norwegian Academy of Sciences and Letters. The Kavli Prize honors outstanding and creative scientific research, in particular, Nelson's contributions to building advanced telescopes, enabling researchers to see deeper into space and further back in time. [More]

UCSC astrophysicist Jonathan Fortney was awarded the 2010 Urey Prize by the American Astronomical Society Division of Planetary Sciences (DPS). The Urey Prize recognizes outstanding and achievements in planetary science by a young scientist. In addition to receiving the Prize, Fortney is invited to give a lecture at the October DPS meeting. [More]

UCB professor Geoff Marcy was elected to the American Academy's 2010 Class of Fellow and Honorary Members. One of the US's oldest and most prestigious honorary societies, the American Academy supports interdisciplinary long-term research to solve complex and emerging problems by utilizing the unique talents of its constituent members. [More]

UCSC professor Garth Illingworth was awarded honorary Doctor of Science Degree by UWA. Illingworth chairs a committee that advises Congress on implementation of the astronomy community's science program. [More]

UCSC astrophysicist Jonathan Fortney has received a Sloan Research Fellowship, in recognition of distinguished performance and unique potential to contribute to his field. Sloan Research Fellowships are awarded to support research by early-career scientists and scholars of outstanding promise. [More]

UCB astrophysicist Geoff Marcy has won the Carl Sagan Prize, honoring his key contributions to public understanding of science. Marcy has discovered numerous extrasolar planets, and has presented many thought-provoking public lectures about his research. He will receive the prize on November 7 at Wonderfest, a public science convention. [More]

UCSC astrophysicist Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz has won the NSF CAREER Award, and will receive $500,000 over the next five years to fund research and teaching activities. CAREER recognizes "junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education, and the integration of education and research." Ramirez-Ruiz also won the prestigious Packard Fellowship in Science and Engineering last year. [More]

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]

More Awards & Accolades