Etelman Observatory houses a 0.5 m robotic telescope and is maintained by the Division of Science and Mathematics at UVI. Etelman Observatory is located on one of the highest points of St. Thomas (18^o, 21’ N, 65^o, W at an elevation ~ 420 meters (~1380 ft). The location is the southernmost and easternmost optical observatory in the United States.

^{The telescope is used primarily for research by several members of the NASA South Carolina Space Grant Consortium which includes the University of the Virgin Islands, College of Charleston, and the South Carolina State University.}  

^{The Etelman House and Observatory was donated to UVI in the 1960s by Harry Etelman. Mr. Etelman was a chemist, inventor, and entrepreneur at the age of 93. During World War II, he created and manufactured products needed by the Army and Navy to clean ships, as well as other items for American soldiers. After the war, he started his own chemical firm, Penetone.This company took Mr. Etelman all over the world with affiliated companies in England, Sweden and Japan.}

^Research:

• ^{Present research includes rapid, automated follow-up observations of Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) observed with NASA's Swift spacecraft. Dr. Jim Neff of the College of Charleston is presently pursuing this research and may be contacted at neffj@cofc.edu}

^{News & Highlights:}

• ^{Astronomer Cynthia Gómez Martínjoined UVI in the spring of 2009 and serves as Director of the facility. In addition, Professor Gómez Martín will spearhead UVI’s outreach program to provide astronomy education to the community and provide site visits. To contact Professor Gómez Martín may be contacted at cgomez@uvi.edu.}
  

^Resources:

• ^{Information about Star Lab Portable Planetarium System}
• ^{Caribbean Astronomy Links}