Working at the Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET) was one of the high points of my career in optics, and a time I will never forget! I was employed as the On-site Optical Engineer for the HET scope from about August 2001 until March 2003. From the very start, it was an unusual experience.
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My Experiences at the HET
Shared by McDonald staff member Tony Distasio on September 22, 2013
Opening of the Frank N. Bash Visitors Center
Shared by McDonald staff member Nancy Davis on September 19, 2013
I remember how exciting it was to be newly hired at the McDonald Observatory Visitors Center in anticipation of the VC's grand opening. We opened only days before Spring Break, and let me tell you that was a steep learning curve those first few months. The StarDate Cafe served hot chocolate from individual cocoa packets!
When I first saw it.
Shared by McDonald staff member Mark Cash on September 19, 2013
I first saw the 82-inch telescope when I came to work here in 2000. I thought it was the most beautiful instrument I'd ever seen. It reminded me of the old pictures of astronomers working at Mount Wilson.