The University of Texas Millimeter Wave Observatory

This is an account of the Millimeter Wave Observatory, a 4.9 meter diameter antenna facility that pioneered continuum observations of planets and interstellar molecular spectroscopy from 1971 to 1988. The circumstances of its founding, development of its instrumentation, and major research contributions are discussed. The MWO role in training of personnel in this new field is illustrated by a listing of student and postdoctoral observers, with titles of PhD theses that included MWO data.