Stephen F. Austin State University Observatory, Nacogdoches

About Stephen F. Austin State University Observatory

Stephen F. Austin State University Observatory in Nacogdoches operates two facilities dedicated to stargazing and astronomical research. The student observatory, the largest in Texas, hosts regular public viewing nights conducted by the Society of Physics Students, where visitors observe the night sky through twelve 8-inch Meade LX-90 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes and four 6-inch Newtonian reflectors mounted on rigid pedestals. The research observatory houses an 18-inch telescope formerly used by NASA for lunar studies before the Apollo program, equipped with a CCD photometer and imaging system, alongside a 41-inch computer-controlled telescope designed and built by the university's faculty. Researchers at the facility conduct supernova research, minor planet research, and extrasolar planet studies. Both observatories sit eleven miles north of Nacogdoches to eliminate light pollution and provide the clearest possible views of the night sky. Upwards of 600 astronomy students annually use these facilities to enhance their education and conduct independent research projects.