Telescope Ops Specialist

Colin Hancock is one of the two research technicians who operate the Dunn Solar Telescope at Sunspot Solar Observatory. He is responsible for observing phenomena associated with the sun, working in tandem with professors from the Department of Astronomy in New Mexico State University. He studies solar flares, sunspots and other surface phenomena on the sun, collecting and transferring the data into a usable form for researchers to analyze.

Colin has a master's degree in Physics from the University of Alabama. His special interest lies in galaxies and faraway stars. He moved to Sunspot in 2021, where he has lived and worked since, as part of the core team that operates the telescope. Working with the Dunn Solar Telescope has been his first experience working with an astronomy facility. 

During his leisure time, Colin likes to relax by reading or hiking in the Lincoln National Forest, in the midst of which Sunspot is situated. He also plays the guitar.

When asked how he would describe Sunspot to someone who has never been there before, he says it is “Cutting-edge technology situated on the edge of the wilderness.”