Billy Teets

  • The Dumbbell Nebula

    Capturing the Apple Core

    The Dumbbell Nebula. Credit: Billy Teets In the lesser-known constellation of Vulpecula, the fox, lie the well-known remains of a small, sun-like star that perished fairly recently, at least on cosmic timescales – the Dumbbell Nebula.  Shorter exposure photographs usually only capture the brighter lobes of gas, helping to… Read More

    Sep. 29, 2025

  • Vanderbilt University

    Pakistani Delegation Tours Dyer Observatory

    On September 18, a delegation from Pakistan visited Dyer Observatory as part of a weeklong STEM-Powered Immersion Conference hosted by Peabody College of education and human development. Image credit: Balkis Boum In September, a delegation from Pakistan visited Vanderbilt University for the weeklong STEM-Powered Immersion Conference, hosted by Peabody… Read More

    Sep. 29, 2025

  • Vanderbilt University

    There’s Nothing Like Opera Under the Stars

    Opera on the Mountain at Dyer Observatory on Saturday September 6, 2025. Photos by Joe Howell Many of Nashville’s music lovers are familiar with Dyer Observatory thanks to the Bluebird on the Mountain concert series that features songwriters and artists performing some of the most well-known… Read More

    Sep. 29, 2025

  • Vanderbilt University

    SAVY Students Learn Astronomy Tricks of the Trade with Dyer Observatory

    Students use handheld spectrometers to observe the spectrum of light sources and identify their composition. Credit: Joe Howell This past July, Dyer Observatory and Vanderbilt’s Programs for Talented Youth (PTY) Summer Academy at Vanderbilt for the Young (SAVY) piloted an astronomy and space science camp designed for academically advanced… Read More

    Aug. 26, 2025

  • Fledgling Carolina wrens awaiting release.

    Another Wren Generation Fledges From Dyer

    Three fledgling Carolina wrens await release into the wild after being vacated from Dyer Observatory’s Seyfert Telescope dome. The fourth chick is just out of frame. Credit: Billy Teets The tool cabinet in the Seyfert Telescope dome has become prime real estate for nesting… Read More

    Aug. 26, 2025

  • Vanderbilt University

    Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Speeds By

    Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS (indicated by the white marker) appears as a faint smudge rapidly moving against the background stars in this animation from Dyer Observatory’s Seyfert Telescope. During the five minutes between each of the frames, the comet moved approximately 10,000 miles. Click on the image for a higher… Read More

    Aug. 26, 2025

  • In the early morning hours of August 19, 2025, Saturn's largest moon Titan cast a shadow on Saturn's globe. This view is a stacked image obtained by Dyer Observatory's Seyfert Telescope. Credit: Billy Teets

    Dyer Catches a Rare Eclipse on Saturn

    In the early morning hours of August 19, 2025, Saturn’s largest moon Titan cast a shadow on Saturn’s globe. This view is a stacked image obtained by Dyer Observatory’s Seyfert Telescope. Credit: Billy Teets In the early morning hours of Tuesday, August 19, Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, passed between… Read More

    Aug. 26, 2025

  • The Hercules globular cluster appears as bright cluster of several hundred thousand stars.

    The Great Cluster of Hercules

    The Great Hercules Cluster (M13) is one of the brightest deep-sky objects and can even be seen by the naked eye on a dark summer night. Credit: Billy Teets We often think that in order to see pretty much anything in the sky other than the Moon or some… Read More

    Jul. 29, 2025

  • Vanderbilt University

    Teachers Light Up with Ideas at Dyer’s Microelectronics and Space Tech Workshop

    Indiana University’s Dr. Mary Loveless highlights some of the user-friendly sensor modules that she and others routinely use in many of their projects. Credit: Billy Teets On July 14, teachers from Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) and surrounding areas and institutions gathered at Dyer Observatory for an exclusive all-day… Read More

    Jul. 29, 2025

  • little boy and older man looking at a telescope

    Oh, The Things You’ll See!

    Dyer Telescope Night in Nashville, Tennessee, on June 13, 2025. Photo by Alondra Moya One of the highlights each month at Dyer Observatory is Telescope Night. During these events, visitors come to one of two hour-long sessions to get firsthand views of some of the wonders of the cosmos,… Read More

    Jun. 26, 2025