Gehrz, Hackwell Return to UW to Celebrate Telescope's Birthday |  
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Oct. 16, 2007 -- Some 30 years ago, while on faculty at the University of Wyoming, Bob Gehrz and John A. Hackwell shared a vision.
"We both knew that we were sitting on one of the most outstanding infrared observatory sites in the world in terms of atmospheric stability and infrared transmission," Gehrz recalls. "We knew that we could compete with anyone if we had what, at the time, was the largest aperture infrared telescope in the world."
So, Gehrz and Hackwell built one.
The UW Department of Physics and Astronomy will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the university's infrared telescope -- and the vision of its architects -- with a free public presentation Thursday, Oct. 18, at 7:10 p.m. in Room 302 of the Classroom Building.
Gehrz and Hackwell, who teamed to lead construction efforts of the telescope in the mid-1970s, will return to UW and speak at the event.
"The anniversary celebration is a way to recognize them and others from that era for their vision and hard work," says UW Astronomy Professor Chip Kobulnicky. "Through the partnership of the state and the National Science Foundation, they brought a world-class observatory to Wyoming."
The 2.3-meter telescope, fully owned and operated by the university, is housed at the Wyoming Infrared Observatory (WIRO) on Jelm Mountain, about 35 miles west of Laramie.
The telescope is used for a wide variety of research projects, including the study of the formation of planets, stars, galaxies and black holes, says Kobulnicky.
"The dark skies and dry atmosphere above Wyoming make it perfect for infrared astronomy," says Hackwell, who now works at the Aerospace Corporation, which provides objective technical analyses and assessments for space programs that serve the national interest. "Astronomy is a natural fit."
He adds, "I remember how exciting it was to build the telescope and the strong support that we got from the university and the people of Wyoming. I look forward to meeting the new guard and hearing about their plans for the future."
Those plans include significant upgrades thanks to a $400,000 grant from the National Science Foundation and a $100,000 contribution from the UW Research Office.
The money will be used to replace aging hardware that controls the telescope.
"I am thrilled to see that a new generation of UW astronomers is taking up the challenge of keeping the Wyoming Infrared Telescope a competitive venue for the future," says Gehrz, who now serves as chairman of the Department of Astronomy at the University of Minnesota and director of the University of Minnesota Observatories. "The data they have recently acquired are impressive and a harbinger of future success."
For more information about the telescope's 30th birthday, call Kobulnicky at (307) 766-2982 or e-mail chipk@uwyo.edu.
Posted on Tuesday, October 16, 2007
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