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McDonald Observatory
Eclipses in the Heart of Texas

Help us get the Lone Star State ready for two solar eclipses across Texas!

What We're Fundraising For

Over the coming year, Texans will have the opportunity to experience not one, but two astronomical events: an annular solar eclipse, sometimes called a ‘ring of fire’ in October 14, 2023 and a total solar eclipse in April 8, 2024.

The McDonald Observatory education and outreach team will collaborate with educational institutions and community organizations across Texas to coordinate online and in-person trainings to serve educators across the state, but especially those in the eclipse path with information about safely viewing the eclipse. 

For those who attend the trainings, McDonald Observatory will distribute free eclipse viewing glasses and educational materials about the science of eclipses produced by StarDate Magazine.

StarDate Radio (produced by McDonald Observatory) will also create a special feature audio program about the eclipse that will be distributed to stations and event partners throughout the state along with Public Service Announcements to help promote and educate a large audience about this special event.

Your Impact

Your gift directly supports our education and public outreach team's preparations for the upcoming eclipse events across Texas. These funds can be used to purchase materials for eclipse viewing trainings or subsidize travel for our staff to co-host free, public viewing events.

Who We Are

McDonald Observatory was founded in 1939 under the dark night skies of the Davis Mountains in West Texas. As a research unit of The University of Texas at Austin, we are one of the world’s top-ranked research observatories, with strong capabilities in observations, instrument design, and undergraduate and graduate education. 

The Observatory is also a world leader in public education and outreach with our Frank N. Bash Visitors Center hosting over 80,000 visitors each year and providing programs for the public and K-12 audiences. Additionally, McDonald Observatory produces the longest running science show in the nation, StarDate radio, which reaches millions each week on over 300 radio stations across the country.


Many of the world's foremost astronomers attended the dedication of McDonald Observatory on May 5, 1939. This photo includes, among others, Walter Baade, Bart Bok, Edwin Hubble, Jan Oort, Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin, Henry Norris Russel, Martin Schwarzschild, and R.J. Trumpler.  


The Final Challenge Winners
Apr 14, 2023



Thank you to everyone for another amazing campaign! Below are the challenge winners for the final hours of the campaign! 


Hungry, Hungry Bevo Challenge

1st Place: WINNER UT Men's Ultimate Club

2nd Place: WINNER Texas Trap and Skeet

3rd place: WINNER Longhorn Racing

 

Final Countdown Challenge

1st Place: WINNER Texas Trap and Skeet 

2nd Place: WINNER Texas Crew 

3rd place: WINNER The University of Texas Weightlifting Team 

 

Longhorn Pride Social Media Challenge
1st Place: First Gen Equity $1,000 Prize
Runner-up: Texas Taekwondo $250 Prize

 


State & International Challenge Winners - Check your donor wall these have been awarded! 

Leaderboard Challenge Winners - Check the challenges page wall for the final leaderboards. Prizes have been awarded! 

Lucky Longhorn Lottery Winners
Apr 13, 2023

Congratulations to our 40 random winners today!

Image for Update: Lucky Longhorn Lottery Winners
2
Match
Faculty & Staff Big Give Match (Day 1)
The first $5,000 in gifts from UT faculty and staff members made within this period will be matched! Gifts of $5 and above will be matched until the total to be awarded, $5,000, is exhausted. April 12, 6 a.m. – 5 p.m. Central
$5,000 MATCHED
Completed
2
Match
Happy Horns Happy Hour Match
The first $10,000 in gifts from alumni, parents, faculty, staff, friends and students to student support initiatives made within this period will be matched! Gifts of $5 and above will be matched until the total to be awarded, $10,000, is exhausted. April 12, 4 – 9 p.m. Central
$10,000 MATCHED
Completed
2
Match
Faculty & Staff Big Give Match (Day 2)
The first $5,000 in gifts from UT faculty and staff members made within this period will be matched! Gifts of $5 and above will be matched until the total to be awarded, $5,000, is exhausted. April 13, 6 a.m. – 10 p.m. Central
$5,000 MATCHED
Completed
2
Match
Student Support Late-Night Match
The first $5,000 in gifts from alumni, parents, faculty, staff, friends and students to student support initiatives made within this period will be matched! Gifts of $5 and above will be matched until the total to be awarded, $5,000, is exhausted. April 12, 9 – 11:59 p.m. Central
$5,000 MATCHED
Completed
$750
7,000th Gift Milestone Award
To celebrate specific milestones in the campaign, an additional award will be added to the area that receives the following milestone gifts. 7,000th Gift – $750 award
Completed
$2,000
9,000th Gift Milestone Award
To celebrate specific milestones in the campaign, an additional award will be added to the area that receives the following milestone gifts. 9,000th Gift – $1,250 award
Completed
Success!
Pre-Campaign Ambassador Sign-up Challenge
The three participating colleges, schools, units or organizations with the most verified 40 for Forty ambassadors registered by April 10 at 5 p.m. will receive an additional award! 1st Place – $1,000 award | 2nd Place – $500 award | 3rd Place – $250 award
Completed
Success!
Faculty & Staff Challenge
The participating college, school, unit or organization with the greatest number of gifts from UT faculty and staff donors will win an additional award! March 29, 8 a.m. – April 13, 10:00 p.m. Central 1st Place – $2,000 award | 2nd Place – $1,000 award | 3rd Place – $500 award 1st Place - UT Child Development Center Capitol Complex | 2nd Place - Dell Medical School | 3rd Place - Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies
Completed
Success!
Turn the U.S. Burnt Orange
Keep an eye on the main page’s donation heat map! The donor who completes the map by making the first gift from the 50th state (including Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico) will win an additional $400 awarded to their designation. The donor’s state will be determined by the credit card billing address. April 12, 6 a.m. Central – April 13, 10 p.m. Central
Completed
Success!
Lucky Longhorn Lottery
Feeling lucky, Longhorns? 40 donors who make a gift during the challenge period will be randomly selected to win an additional $250 awarded to their designation! April 13, 7 a.m. – noon Central
Completed
Leaderboard
Hungry, Hungry Bevo Challenge
The three participating colleges, schools, units or organizations that receive the greatest number of gifts within the designated period will receive an additional award! April 13, 12 – 4 p.m. Central 1st place – $2,500 | 2nd place – $1,500 | 3rd place – $1,000
Rank Prize Hungry, Hungry Bevo Challenge Gifts
1 $2,500 UT Men's Ultimate Club 281
2 $1,500 Texas Trap and Skeet 271
3 $1,000 Longhorn Racing 270
4 UT Child Development Center Capitol Complex 258
5 Texas Crew 250
Ended
Leaderboard
University-Wide Leaderboard: Greatest Number of Gifts Received
The participating college, school, unit or organization with the greatest number of gifts will be listed on the leaderboard for bragging rights only.
Rank Department Gifts
1 Texas Trap and Skeet 1,403
2 Texas Crew 1,399
3 UT Men's Ultimate Club 1,014
4 Longhorn Racing 724
5 The University of Texas Weightlifting Team 661
Ended
Leaderboard
Day 1 Leaderboard: Unique Donors
The five participating colleges, schools, units or organizations with the greatest number of unique donors during the first day of 40 for Forty will receive awards!
Rank Prize Department Donors
1 $1,000 UT Child Development Center Capitol Complex 150
2 $750 Chapters & Networks 128
3 $500 Texas 4000 for Cancer 87
4 $250 Texas Crew 64
5 $100 Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center 51
Ended
2
Match
Student Support Kickoff Match
The first $10,000 in gifts from alumni, parents, faculty, staff, friends and students to student support initiatives within this period will be matched! Gifts from $5 – $500 will be matched until the total to be awarded, $10,000, is exhausted. April 12, 6 a.m. – noon Central
$10,000 MATCHED
Completed
2
Match
Midnight Madness Match
The first $7,500 in gifts from alumni, parents, faculty, staff, friends and students to student support initiatives made within this period will be matched! Gifts of $5 and above will be matched until the total to be awarded, $7,500, is exhausted. April 13, midnight – 7 a.m. Central
$7,500 MATCHED
Completed
2
Match
Student Support Final Match
The first $10,000 in gifts from alumni, parents, faculty, staff, friends and students to student support initiatives within this period will be matched! Gifts from $5 – $500 will be matched until the total to be awarded, $10,000, is exhausted. April 13, 4 – 8 p.m. Central
$10,000 MATCHED
Completed
$1,000
1,883rd Milestone Award
In September 1883, The University of Texas was officially opened in a ceremony inside an incomplete building on a grassy hill where the Tower now stands. To celebrate UT's founding year, the 1,883rd gift will receive a $1,883 award!
Completed
$1,000
8,000th Gift Milestone Award
To celebrate specific milestones in the campaign, an additional award will be added to the area that receives the following milestone gifts. 8,000th Gift – $1,000 award
8,000 / 8,000 Gifts
Completed
$750
10,000th Gift Milestone Award
To celebrate specific milestones in the campaign, an additional award will be added to the area that receives the following milestone gifts. 10,000th Gift – $750 award
Completed
Success!
Longhorn Pride Social Media Challenge
Show your Longhorn pride and help a participating 40 for Forty group win $1,000! Share your burnt-orange selfie to your Instagram story and tag @UTAustinTX and #UT40for40 for your chance to win. April 10, 6 a.m. Central – April 13, 4:59 p.m. Central
Completed
Success!
U.S. State Challenge
Keep an eye on the main page’s donation heat map! The first donor from each state, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico will win an additional $100 awarded to their designation. The donor’s state will be determined by the credit card billing address. April 12, 6 a.m. Central – April 13, 10 p.m. Central
Completed
Success!
International Challenge
Keep an eye on the main page’s international donation heat map! The first donor from each continent will win an additional $250 awarded to their designation. The donor’s country will be determined by the credit card billing address. April 12, 6 a.m. Central – April 13, 10 p.m. Central
Completed
Leaderboard
Longhorn Lunch Special Challenge
The three participating colleges, schools, units or organizations that receive the greatest number of gifts within the designated period will receive an additional award! April 12, 12 – 4 p.m. Central 1st place – $2,500 | 2nd place – $1,500 | 3rd place – $1,000
Rank Prize Longhorn Lunch Special Challenge Gifts
1 $2,500 Texas Crew 395
2 $1,500 UT Men's Ultimate Club 377
3 $1,000 Texas Trap and Skeet 376
4 UT Child Development Center Capitol Complex 235
5 Texas Women's Rugby 85
Ended
Leaderboard
Final Countdown Challenge
The three participating colleges, schools, units or organizations that receive the greatest number of gifts within the designated period will receive an additional award! April 13, 8 – 10 p.m. Central 1st place – $3,500 | 2nd place – $1,500 | 3rd place – $500
Rank Prize Final Countdown Challenge Gifts
1 $3,500 Texas Trap and Skeet 706
2 $1,500 Texas Crew 663
3 $500 The University of Texas Weightlifting Team 606
4 Longhorn Racing 434
5 UT Men's Ultimate Club 337
Ended
Leaderboard
University-Wide Leaderboard: Highest Amount of Dollars Received
The participating college, school, unit or organization with the highest number of dollars raised will be listed on the leaderboard for bragging rights only.
Rank Department Raised
1 Dell Medical School $2,526,675.00
2 Department of Accounting $2,001,100.00
3 McCombs School of Business $433,094.00
4 Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics $350,435.00
5 New Student Services $200,140.00
Ended
Leaderboard
Day 2 Leaderboard: Gifts
The five participating colleges, schools, units or organizations with the greatest number of gifts raised during the second day of 40 for Forty will receive awards!
Rank Prize Department Gifts
1 $1,000 Texas Trap and Skeet 999
2 $750 Texas Crew 938
3 $500 Longhorn Racing 713
4 $250 The University of Texas Weightlifting Team 639
5 $100 UT Men's Ultimate Club 633
Ended
Participating Groups
Colleges & Schools Tile Image
Colleges & Schools
Departments & Programs Tile Image
Departments & Programs
Museums & Libraries Tile Image
Museums & Libraries
Student Organizations Tile Image
Student Organizations
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