Fire Emergency: The list of immediate needs is growing and our priorities may need to evolve with circumstances. Your gift to the UCO Director’s Discretionary Fund today will provide the flexible support necessary for Director Max to address needs as they arise in this rapidly changing situation.
Who We Are
The UC Observatories (UCO) is a multi-campus astronomical research unit, with headquarters on the UC Santa Cruz campus. UCO operates the Lick Observatory on Mount Hamilton, and the technical labs at UC Santa Cruz and UCLA. UCO is also a managing partner of the W. M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii, and the center for the UC participation in the Thirty-Meter Telescope (TMT) project.
UCO Mission Statement
As defined during its creation, the Mission Statement for UCO is to:
- Provide UC astronomers with continuing access to world-class O/IR facilities.
- Design and build advanced equipment for the Lick and Keck Telescopes, including major optics, instruments, detectors, and software systems.
- Maintain and operate Lick Observatory on Mount Hamilton, for use by scientists and students from all UC campuses, the Lawrence Berkeley Lab and LLNL.
- Provide an administrative interface for UC and scientific support to the Keck Observatory.
- Support through its faculty and facilities graduate and undergraduate teaching and the training of astronomy Ph.D.s throughout the UC system.
- Conduct forefront research in astronomy and astrophysics.
- Provide an organization that can unite and coordinate astronomy groups throughout the UC system in support of the Keck and Lick Observatories.
- Represent the interests of UC O/IR astronomers in external forums such as Keck Observatory, TMT and on the national and international level.