MMT Binospec observations of the location of the brightest fast radio burst (FRB) by our colleagues at Northwestern University are highlighted at CNN www.cnn.com/2025/08/26/s... and Sky & Telescope skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-ne.... 🔭

The three week long “summer shutdown” at the MMT began last week. We spend the time working on annual preventive maintenance and engineering activities that can’t be done during normal operations. This year, that includes listening to the natural vibrations of the telescope (so we can suppress them)

We see a lot of wildlife on Mount Hopkins, including snakes. But they're not usually hanging out on the door handles. This is a harmless mountain kingsnake. Photo by J. Di Miceli

On Sunday, May 18th, the sun set directly behind Kitt Peak as seen from the summit of Mount Hopkins. 🔭 Photo by Dallan Porter

Sometimes our staff take photos from a slightly different perspective. 🔭 Photo by K. Salmas

Our 6.5m primary mirror got a much-needed contact wash a few weeks ago! This process is done twice a year, and helps maintain the reflectivity of the aluminum coating. #astronomy 🔭

A crow having a dispute with its reflection in the VERITAS telescope mirror, seen at Whipple basecamp on the way back from @mmtobservatory.bsky.social

Exciting night! The MMT, with the infrared MMIRS instrument, observed Uranus occult a star tonight! It was cool to see the rings and then the planet make the star (mostly) disappear. 🔭 #astronomy

Observing a star occulted by Uranus, in the infrared with MMIRS at the MMT @mmtobservatory.bsky.social

we’re observing uranus tonight as it passes in front of a fairly bright star. the plot in the upper left shows the star passing behind several rings. @mmtobservatory.bsky.social

A peaceful morning on Mt Hopkins 🔭 #astronomy

We spent today at the #tucsonfestivalofbooks sharing our passion for science and demonstrating how we use masks to take spectra of multiple targets at once. We will be back again tomorrow!

Weather brings mountains down! A rockslide on Mount Hopkins road on Sunday, March 9th. There was a snowstorm on Friday, March 7th. Some of the snow melted during the day on Saturday and seeped into cracks in the rocks.That water froze on Saturday night and literally broke the rocks apart!

Looking south from the fourth floor at sunset Photo by K. Salmas #astronomy 🔭

It’s not just astronomers who live on Mt Hopkins! A family of coatimundis were caught on camera crossing the road earlier this year. Photos by A. Gerl

Getting ready for another night of observing. With 12 hours of useable dark time, these are some of the longest shifts for our night staff #astronomy 🔭

A few weeks ago one of our operators captured comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) from the summit 🔭 Photo by B. Pinault

MMT Observatory staff gather in the chamber in front of the telescope for the annual staff meeting and picture.

blue skies at the MMT Observatory

Welcome to the official MMT Observatory Bluesky account! We are a 6.5-meter telescope located on Mt Hopkins, just south of Tucson, AZ. Photo by R. Howie