Lowell Observatory

What it reported doing in 2025

Continuing a more than 130-year-long legacy of astronomical discovery, lowell observatory astronomers, planetary scientists, and other researchers conducted forefront research in many areas of astronomy from the sun and our solar system to exoplanets, stars, galaxies, and cosmology. In 2025, lowell scientists published over 125 peer-reviewed scholarly articles in leading scientific journals, along with another 40+ articles in other venues. Lowell scientists also gave numerous presentations at scientific conferences and public outreach events and participated in major scientific missions using world-leading telescopes across the globe and in space. Lowell scientific staff continue to be very successful at obtaining grants in support of their research from nasa, the national science foundation, and other agencies.the 4.3-meter lowell discovery telescope (ldt) delivered approximately 260 science nights used by astronomers on the staff at lowell, and our partner institutions: boston university, northern Arizona university, the university of Maryland, yale university, and others. In total, the ldt featured prominently in nearly 50 scientific or technical publications. The ldt's growing suite of state-of-the-art instruments, such as the high-precision spectrograph expres, enable cutting edge research across multiple fields, including the search for exoplanets. Lowell observatory also continued to operate other smaller research telescopes at its anderson mesa and mars hill sites; at the mesa they are operating a modern 1-meter telescope equipped with both imaging and spectroscopic capabilities. Access to local telescopes equipped with world-class instruments has enabled science that could not be done elsewhere. In 2025, lowell observatory continued to advance its science vision, a long-term plan to enhance its observational and technical excellence. This strategic initiative outlines major new goals, including significant upgrades to the ldt, the development of next-generation instrumentation, new pathways for public engagement with scientific discovery, and expanded opportunities for the next generation of astronomers and engineers. Implementation efforts continued in 2025, including supporting its cadre of early career scientists (especially the percival lowell postdoctoral fellows), bringing new ldt observing capabilities online, and advancing the design for several future scientific instruments.lowell observatory remains committed to pioneering research, technological innovation, and sharing discovery with the broader community.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 97.4%; rating input score 97
• Program expense ratio: 82.3%; rating input score 82
• Fundraising efficiency: $7.63 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 25; 25th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Yes; rating input score 100

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 0%; rating input score 0; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -13.7%; rating input score 5; 5th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 4.4; rating input score 75; 75th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.53; rating input score 24; 24th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 10%; rating input score 25; 25th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 6% per year; rating input score 100; 46th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 7% per year; rating input score 100; 57th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 5% per year; rating input score 100; 34th percentile among comparable filings