McDonald Observatory
A West Texas observatory in some of the darkest skies in the continental United States, running public star parties three nights a week.
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The observatory sits on Mount Locke and Mount Fowlkes at around two thousand metres in the Davis Mountains, chosen because the Trans-Pecos has very little light pollution, low humidity and high elevation - the darkest skies of any professional observatory in the continental United States. The Hobby-Eberly Telescope has a segmented primary mirror about ten metres across and is used mainly for spectroscopy. Public star parties run several evenings a week with telescopes set out on a dark field and staff working the sky overhead; on a clear moonless night the Milky Way is bright enough to cast a faint shadow. The observatory works with regional oil and gas operators on lighting to protect the darkness.
What you actually see
- Star parties on a dark field - several evenings a week.
- The Hobby-Eberly Telescope - a segmented ten-metre mirror.
- Genuinely dark skies - the darkest of any US mainland observatory.
- Active dark-sky work - with regional industry on lighting.
When to go
March to November; moonless nights are best. An evening.
Honest expectations
Star parties book out and cancel for cloud with no alternative date. Nights at altitude are cold in any season - bring layers. It is a long drive from anywhere. A full moon substantially reduces what is visible.
Nearby
Fort Davis is south; Marfa is further south-west.
What to pack for McDonald Observatory
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
