UC Observatories

10/02/2026

Is anyone out there?
In a recent UC San Diego feature article, researchers explored the ongoing search for life and technosignatures beyond Earth. At University of California Observatories (UCO), we are proud to serve as a vital engine for this research, providing the observational facilities, cutting-edge technology, and infrastructure that power discoveries across nine UC campuses.

A prime example is housed right at Lick Observatory: PANOSETI (Pulsed All-sky Near-infrared Optical SETI). Spearheaded by Dr. Shelley Wright and her team at UC San Diego, this innovative instrumentation scans the night sky for nanosecond optical flashes—searching for signs of artificial light created by distant technology.

By bringing together groundbreaking technology, world-class facilities, and brilliant minds across the University of California system, UCO continues to be an essential cog in advancing our understanding of the universe.

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Curiosity drives almost all of us, and little sparks the imagination more than thinking about who might live among the stars.

10/02/2026

Thirty years ago this month, astronomers (Including our current Director Bruce Macintosh) and laser scientists pulled off a game-changing milestone for space exploration—right here at Lick Observatory!

Before 1996, atmospheric turbulence meant ground-based telescopes always had a blurry view of the cosmos.

Today, sodium laser guide stars are the gold standard powering the world’s giant telescopes—from the Keck Observatory in Hawaii to the Very Large Telescope in Chile.

Happy 30th anniversary to the team that shot for the stars (and brought back perfect images)! 🔭

Read the full story here.

Thirty years ago, in September and October 1996, an extraordinary breakthrough took place atop Mount Hamilton that forever changed ground-based astronomy. On the 3-meter Shane Telescope at Lick Observatory, a joint team from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and UC Observatories captured...

09/24/2026

For the final installment of Lick Observatory’s "Behind the Telescopes" series, science writing intern Kaia Glickman sits down with UC Berkeley astronomer Alex Filippenko.

While not an alumnus himself, Alex has spent over four decades conducting groundbreaking observational research at both Lick Observatory and W. M. Keck Observatory. From pioneering the robotic Katzman Automatic Imaging Telescope (KAIT) to classifying new supernovae subtypes, his career has been central to measuring cosmic expansion, earning him a share of the prestigious 2026 Gruber Cosmology Prize!

Check out the full Q&A here: Alex Filippenko:

From pioneering robotic telescopes to groundbreaking cosmology, astronomers affiliated with Lick Observatory are shaping our understanding of the universe Lick Observatory: Behind the Telescopes by Kaia Glickman At the start of Alex Filippenko’s career more than 40 years ago, supernovae were rarel...

09/05/2026

Highlighting UC excellence in Astronomy!

We are thrilled to celebrate two distinguished faculty members from our UC system receiving top honors from the Astronomical Society of the Pacific:

Dr. Alex Filippenko (UC Berkeley) – Klumpke-Roberts Award for extraordinary dedication to public science education and astronomy outreach.

Dr. Shelley Wright (UC San Diego) – Maria and Eric Muhlmann Award for innovative developments in optical/infrared instrumentation and SETI technology.

Thank you both for advancing scientific discovery, developing next-generation instruments, and opening the universe to students and the public across California and beyond!

University of California

09/04/2026

From Lick Observatory to Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Dr. José de Jesús González González has spent over 30 years advancing astronomy and inspiring the next generation of scientists in Mexico and beyond!

In the latest installment of the Behind the Telescopes series, science writing intern Kaia Glickman chats with Dr. González González about:

• His journey from earning a Ph.D. at UC Santa Cruz under Sandra Faber to directing UNAM's Institute of Astronomy
• Developing key instruments like OSIRIS for the Gran Telescopio Canarias
• Co-creating la Noche de las Estrellas, Mexico’s massive astronomy festival that reaches 100,000+ star lovers annually!

Read the full interview to learn about his career, scientific legacy, and the unique culture of Mexican astronomy:José de Jesús González González: Helping Mexican astronomy flourish.

UC Santa Cruz Science

Astronomers who trained at Lick Observatory early in their careers are now scattered across the globe, setting new standards in their fields. Lick Observatory: Behind the Telescopes by Kaia Glickman It’s rare for astronomers to spend their entire academic and professional careers at just two insti...

06/25/2026

Introducing: Lick Observatory: Behind the Telescopes by Kaia Glickman
Astronomers who trained at Lick Observatory early in their careers are now scattered across the globe, setting new standards in their fields. Where are they now, and how did their time on the mountain shape their journey?

Next up in our conversation series, science writing intern Kaia Glickman catches up with another incredible Lick alumnus: Kaew Samaporn Tinyanont

During this fascinating conversation, they discuss his research on the dramatic lifecycles of dying stars, his journey from Lick Observatory to his current work in Thailand, and what it’s like to observe cosmic explosions.
Read the full Q&A story here:

Astronomers who trained at Lick Observatory early in their careers are now scattered across the globe, setting new standards in their fields. Lick Observatory: Behind the Telescopes by Kaia Glickman Samaporn (Kaew) Tinyanont may be Lick Observatory’s most remote alumnus. For the second conversatio...

06/12/2026

Introducing: Lick Observatory: Behind the Telescopes

Astronomers who trained at Lick Observatory early in their careers are now scattered across the globe, setting new standards in their fields. Where are they now, and how did their time on the mountain shape their journey?

To kick off this brand-new conversation series, science writing intern Kaia Glickman catches up with one of Lick’s most notable alumni: Debra Fischer!✨

During this fascinating conversation they discuss her pioneering research on extrasolar planets, her memories of the observatory, and what it’s like to hunt for worlds beyond our own.

👉 Read the full Q&A story here: https://www.ucobservatories.org/debra-fischer-discovering-worlds-by-the-hundreds/

Astronomers who trained at Lick Observatory early in their careers are now scattered across the globe, setting new standards in their fields. Lick Observatory: Behind the Telescopes by Kaia Glickman To launch a new series of conversations, science writing intern Kaia Glickman reached out to one of L...

05/29/2026

Passionate about astronomy education and workforce development? We’re hiring! The University of California Observatories (UCO) is looking for a Program Manager to lead day-to-day operations for our revered higher-education and professional programs.

If you are a master organizer who thrives in a collaborative environment and wants to shape the next generation of astronomers and technical leaders, this is for you! You'll manage program logistics, coordinate instructional teams, and even have opportunities to contribute to curriculum development.

👉 Apply today to help us launch the future of astronomy education! https://www.ucsc.edu/careers/. Enter the job number 86486

05/21/2026

Huge congratulations to our friend and esteemed colleague Professor Alex Filippenko, he stated, “The Lick supernova search and my spectral studies with the Shane telescope were significant factors in my receiving the prize." He also notes, “I obtained many or most of the spectra of high-redshift Type Ia supernova candidates at W. M. Keck Observatory in the mid-1990s, leading to the Nobel-worthy discovery of the accelerating expansion of the Universe, driven by mysterious dark energy.” His team's supernova research continues, now in its fifth decade at Lick and fourth decade at Keck. More details can be found here:

By clarifying the differences among various types of exploding stars, Filippenko enabled them to be used to measure the expansion of the universe.

05/01/2026

A new window into the universe is opening—Soon to be installed at the W. M. Keck Observatory together we're pushing the limits of astronomy.

Staff at UC Observatories and UC Santa Cruz Science—alongside a team of more than 50 theorists, observers, instrumentalists, and engineers from over 20 institutions—have built a cutting-edge instrument designed to reveal planets we’ve never been able to see before.

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