• Asteroid Tracking: Rocky bodies orbiting the sun that sometimes pass within the range considered as “near-Earth”. 

• Binary & Variable Stars: Star that change in brightness for various reasons, including pulsation (changing in size and luminosity over time) and eclipsing binaries (one star passing in front of the other in a double-star system).

• Exoplanet Transients: Planets orbiting stars that are not in our own Solar System; when these exoplanets pass in front of their home star, the light traveling to Earth from that star experiences a noticeable decrease.

• Supernovae: Bright and powerful explosions that occur at the last stages of the evolutionary life cycle of stars.

Though CTMO is primarily utilized for research, education and public outreach have been a core value at CTMO since its opening. Through public and private fundraising, CGWA generates opportunities for local students and educators to use the facility as an experience-based learning tool. Additionally, CTMO opens its doors to the public on several occasions throughout the year so that the community may experience the beauty of the cosmos first-hand. By cultivating interest in astronomy and space science, CTMO and partner organizations such as STARS hope to inspire the next generation of explorers in the Rio Grande Valley.