Built in 1981 atop a ridge south of Utah Lake, BYU’s West Mountain Observatory (WMO) has contributed to astrophotography and research on stars, exoplanets, and black holes. Key to this research are the undergraduate students who trekked up to study the skies and record observations alongside BYU astronomy professors. A small living space there accommodates extended observations.
With changes in the astronomy department, the facility’s future is currently being determined. History graduate Amber D. Zendejas (BA ’25), who compiled historical research on the WMO, says its legacy is the impact it’s had on students, herself included. “West Mountain helped students build experiences that prepared them,” she says, “regardless of what career path they chose.”
