Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas House Bill HCR55 Compare Versions

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1	1	H.C.R. No. 55
2	2
3	3
4	4	HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
5	5	WHEREAS, The 400th birthday of modern astronomy is being
6	6	marked in 2009 as the International Year of Astronomy, and this
7	7	worldwide celebration represents a fine opportunity to pay tribute
8	8	to the Lone Star State's leadership in astronomical research; and
9	9	WHEREAS, In 1609, the Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei
10	10	first used a telescope to study the skies, and that same year, the
11	11	German astronomer Johannes Kepler published his famous laws of
12	12	planetary motion in the book Astronomia Nova; sponsored by the
13	13	International Astronomical Union and UNESCO, the International
14	14	Year of Astronomy 2009 commemorates these revolutionary
15	15	developments with activities and events around the globe; and
16	16	WHEREAS, Located in the Davis Mountains of West Texas, the
17	17	McDonald Observatory of The University of Texas at Austin is one of
18	18	the world's leading centers for astronomical research and
19	19	education; its research instruments include the Hobby-Eberly
20	20	Telescope, one of the world's largest optical telescopes, with a
21	21	433-inch mirror; and
22	22	WHEREAS, The Observatory Visitors Center delights and
23	23	informs 100,000 people a year with its exhibits, tours, and star
24	24	parties; the observatory also produces the nationally syndicated
25	25	StarDate and Universo radio programs and websites, bringing the
26	26	latest in scientific research to audiences in English and Spanish;
27	27	and
28	28	WHEREAS, During the IYA 2009, The University of Texas at
29	29	Austin and Texas A&M are collaborating on the development of the
30	30	Giant Magellan Telescope, one of the world's largest new
31	31	telescopes; and
32	32	WHEREAS, McDonald Observatory and the physics department of
33	33	Texas A&M University are beginning to work with several other
34	34	institutions on a groundbreaking study of dark energy, which has
35	35	been called "the central problem for physics" by Nobel laureate and
36	36	UT professor Steven Weinberg; representing 70 percent of the total
37	37	energy in the universe, dark energy is the mysterious force causing
38	38	the expansion of the cosmos to accelerate; and
39	39	WHEREAS, The Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment,
40	40	or HETDEX, will use the Hobby-Eberly Telescope and the new VIRUS
41	41	spectrograph, developed and constructed by UT and Texas A&M, to map
42	42	the three-dimensional positions of one million galaxies over three
43	43	years, providing scientists with important clues to the nature of
44	44	dark energy; and
45	45	WHEREAS, The study of dark energy represents a revolution in
46	46	the science of astronomy, and it is most fitting that in this
47	47	anniversary year of historic scientific achievement, two of the
48	48	premier research institutions in Texas are working together in the
49	49	pioneering spirit of Kepler and Galileo to see further into the
50	50	heart of the universe than anyone has before; now, therefore, be it
51	51	RESOLVED, That the 81st Legislature of the State of Texas
52	52	hereby commemorate the International Year of Astronomy 2009 and
53	53	celebrate the great contributions of The University of Texas at
54	54	Austin McDonald Observatory and Texas A&M University in the
55	55	continuing quest, from time immemorial, to bring the heavens within
56	56	the compass of human understanding; and, be it further
57	57	RESOLVED, That official copies of this resolution be prepared
58	58	for The University of Texas at Austin McDonald Observatory and the
59	59	Texas A&M University Department of Physics as an expression of high
60	60	regard by the Texas House of Representatives and Senate.
61	61	Rose
62	62	Brown of Brazos
63	63	______________________________ ______________________________
64	64	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
65	65	I certify that H.C.R. No. 55 was adopted by the House on
66	66	February 24, 2009, by a non-record vote.
67	67	______________________________
68	68	Chief Clerk of the House
69	69	I certify that H.C.R. No. 55 was adopted by the Senate on
70	70	February 24, 2009, by a viva-voce vote.
71	71	______________________________
72	72	Secretary of the Senate
73	73	APPROVED: __________________
74	74	Date
75	75	__________________
76	76	Governor