McDonald Observatory Reviews

The view of the surrounding countryside from the observatory was breathtaking. Seriously, for the view alone...go! You can't really see much of the observatory itself, there are lots of videos to watch. We didn't have time to sit and watch videos but we were so happy with the view we weren't disappointed that much. Would have loved to actually see what the astronomers see...too bad they didn't have any videos about that! The visitor's center is nice and has a small snack bar.

We attended a Star Party at McDonald Observatory and had a GREAT time. The weather was not ideal -- it was really windy -- but the Observatory staff were knowledgeable and helpful and really made the evening fun and informative!

Things which may be helpful: 1) Texas 118 is a beautiful and incredible road which is fun to drive. We did the whole length and it is remote and terrific; 2) Mount Locke at the observatory is 6800 feet; 3) book ahead of the visit as it fills up fast.

There is a nice visitor's center. The Hobby Eberly 10 meter scope is the 3rd largest in the world.

70 people live and work there.

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This place is amazing. Very knowledgeable and friendly staff. We took the guided tour to where we learned a lot in a classroom setting and then a tour of the Harlan J. Smith telescope to which left us in awe. This thing is huge! We also took advantage of the nighttime sky party. All I can say was it was magnificent. Never seen a better view of the moon and the Orion Nebula. Well worth the trip. They also have a great cafe. They make a homemade chicken salad which is absolutely delicious.

This was our second or third trip and we attended the "Star Party" which is held typically weekends several times a week. It is worth doing but if your schedule permits try to organize so that you are on the mountain at the observatory on a night when there is little or no moon. The astronomers are not romantic about the moon. It is a big shinny bright thing that blocks out other stuff less bright but farther away in the sky. We toured the telescopes and looked at exhibits in the daytime as well and that is really cool. Speaking of which - remember you are up about 7,000 and at night it gets cool and can be down right cold - especially if the wind blows. At the Star Party you get to look though telescopes at stars and planets and lots of local astronomers bring their personal telescopes and let you look. Lots of these are researchers who are staying at the mountain and volunteering their time and their telescopes. Be nice to them. Lots of the volunteers are very informative and some quite witty. The mountain is lite at night along the walkways with red lights so as not to mess up your night vision. The effect is very "outer space" and your kids (of any age) will love it. There is no restaurant per se here but there is snack bar that often has hot dogs and such that can sustain you if you were silly and forgot to eat first - or just get peckish.

McDonald Observatory has the best visitors' program in the world. Even on cloudy nights the star party is unparalleled. The twilight program is well worth the time and admission. Watch for special viewing programs and give yourself bragging rights on looking through the largest telescope.

The staff were very knowledgeable and very happy to answer any and all questions regarding our amazing galaxy. It does get chilly during the Star Show, so be sure to come attired in very warm clothes. (including gloves and hat!) The views offered through the telescopes was spectacular--so don't miss the opportunity offered to peek through the telescopes offered for viewing.

We took the afternoon tour conducted by a member of the staff. The facility is amazing and the telescopes are much more impressive than we anticipated. If you are in the area and have the time be sure and visit.

I wish I could rate this activity even higher. We did the Modeling the Night Sky session which was an explanation of the night sky, helping all of us understand how the planets, sun, moon, etc work together and separately. The presenter did a good job breaking it down for all to understand. However, the HIGHLIGHT of the night was the Star Party which started with an explanation of the constellations in a circle type "theatre" outside under the very, very dark sky without any light pollution. The presenter was quirky and funny and clearly had a great understanding of the constellations and tied them to the mythology stories for which they were named. At our convenience, we were able to make our way to seven telescopes to see amazing sights - Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Andromeda galaxy, star clusters, and a blue nebula ring. What an amazing experience and one we will never forget. HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend!

Some tips:
-It can get chilly after the sun goes down so bring layers to stay warm. Blankets are a good idea for keeping warm and cushioning the stone benches.
-Use the toilet facilities before you go outside to the Star Party. Chances are high that the bathroom facilities will close before you are done looking through the telescopes.
-Prepare to wait in line at the telescopes, but they will be friendly lines of people who appreciate the wait is worth it.
-There is little in the way of snacks so come on a full tummy. There is a cafe but choices are limited.
-It is very, very dark at the Star Party. I mean really dark. There are red lights to light the walking paths which are all concrete, but be prepared for this. It will be fine, but no artificial lights are allowed for very good reason. I did see one older gentleman walking around with no problem using his walker.
-Register online early and pray for clear skies so you don't miss this amazing opportunity.

This should be your stop in Fort Davis! They are very knowledgable in stars and also follows CDC COVID protocol to keep you safe.

Informative and interesting. A must see. Reservations in advance recommended. Scenic drive to the observatory as well

This is a good destination trip if you're interested in outer space or the stars. By necessity, the observatory is remote, with little or no internet reception, at a high elevation, and run by friendly, kinda nerdy folks. We did both day tours and a night star gazing and were not disappointed. The 45 minute daytime Solar tour was only $5 and worth it. You see almost live pictures of the sun (8 minutes old since it takes that long for the light to reach us) and learn how stars are born, die and impact Earth. There's a self-guided tour of 2 giant telescopes, but the guided tour is only $8 for seniors and worth it. You learn the history of each telescope, how they work, and are maintained. The tour is about 2 hours, with some easy walking up hills, but elevators and shuttles are available. The highlight was the evening 2 hour Star Party, available a few nights a week, and $20 for seniors. There were about 50 folks on a weeknight, including college students, seniors and families. There is some walking uphill, and it is a little hard to see in the almost darkness. Our guide pointed out easy to see constellations, and we watched the moon rise. At your leisure, you walk back downhill to view some visible star clusters, star gases, the moon, and a nearby constellation, through 36" telescopes, with a helpful guide at each. The value of these tours is wonderful and the knowledge and friendliness of the volunteers is great. This is a fun one day destination ,since we did all 3 tours in one day.

This was the first time I've attended the solar program. It was fascinating. Viewed two of the scopes after a great presentation earlier. The story of the observatory is a good one.

Staff is well versed and clearly like what they do. Sky is amazingly dark out here and the Milky Way is clear. I don't know if I have ever seen so many stars in my life. The best part was the guide pointing out constellations. We didn't even want to wait in line to use all the telescopes. The lines are long and I preferred the view with just binoculars and/or the naked eye. I'd recommend you bring bug repellent or wear pants/long sleeves as you will be having mosquitoes join the Star Party. It was definitely worth the drive out and the cost. The event runs very late - we left at 1130 and it was still going strong, so young children may tire out quickly.

We took the guided observatory tour and got to see the 107" telescope up close and personal. The guide let some of the tourists move the massive telescope and dome! Very informative guide who filled us in on history, technical aspects, day (or night) in the life of an astronomer, etc.
We also did the solar viewing "tour" - actually a presentation in an auditorium with a fun, informative presenter and great video/graphics. Family-oriented, packed with interesting info.
Both were very reasonably priced.
The visitor's center is cool also and even the gift shop is worthwhile.

If you like astronomy at all or even if you are just a little curious, this is a fun outing. The star party was sold out but we got to take a tour and it was fun and full of interesting facts about our sun and universe. The telescopes are AMAZING!

This was my second trip to the Star Party. We were much luckier this time because the moon did not rise until after 11PM. That meant we had a lot of time to star gaze without light interference. It was much better than the last time I was here, but both times were amazing. Even watching the sunset from this location is wonderful.

We did not have a reservation for the "Reservation Required" star party but took a chance and showed up at the Observatory anyway. Another couple had cancelled and we were allowed to attend. (I would STRONGLY recommend reservations ahead of time.) The guide presentation was EXCELLENT! She was very knowledgeable and also had a good sense of humor. She pointed out the stars & various constellations. After the presentation we were helped to use the smaller telescopes to view the night sky. we saw the rings of Saturn & the moons of Juniper as well as the moon up close and a couple of other features. Bring warm clothes as it did get chilly.

Star parties are scheduled regularly,but fill up fast.There is also a solar viewing In the day time. The scenic over looks are the best.It is the highest point in Txt.

This is one of the darkest skies in North America and a great place to see planets and the Milky Way. No, we did not go to any star parties or look through the telescopes, but we did get to visit the museum which is really interesting and has all the history of the place. There is even a real sundial outside. The cost is $3.00 per person and is well worth it. The gift shop sells some tee shirts, book, and magazines on astronomy.
Drive up to the summit and view the actual telescope domes. You can't go inside, but the view of the valley below in stunning. You will also be on the highest elevation of any Texas highway too !!!

Don’t bother. Some interactive exhibits broke, and they are not showing the movie. It’s a very small visitor center and has a few interesting things, but we were surprised that there is no access to an actual observatory or even telescope. The only thing of interest was the big telescope outside in front was being shifted around several times. A better place to learn about space is the Marfa Lights ;-)

Good tour of the stars. Some mistakes in the talks. My wife wouldn't let me correct the guide. One telescope operator asked if there was any questions? When I brought up the bible timeline of the earth he got very defensive. I understand, science has its dogma. Just don't get mad ,discuss it out.

This place has incredible views of planets and stars. You can see the rings of saturn as well as the moons of jupiter. Just before midnight Mars became visible. Also saw a binary star system and several star clusters.

Very disappointed. They have closed the telescope viewing. I drove hundreds of miles. For the star party only to find out it’s a lecture followed by a movie screen of the stars. All because of Covid. I had made a reservation and paid 2 months ago. Why didn’t they email me to tell me there would be no telescope viewing?

Excellent visit and tour (we took the daytime tour). Great instructional museum/visitors center. Our "insiders tour" was approximately two hours and we got to go into both of the major telescopes. I am clueless about astronomy (although I can find the Big Dipper most of the time). The science here is beyond mind-boggling. Our guide was excellent explaining things in a way that even non scientific types could grasp. Might be a bit tedious for younger children but for the rest of us... just WOW.

Great experience, we had a clear night, program was interesting. They should warn people that the benches outside are stone and feel really cold, cushion is advisable for a more enjoyable experience.

We attended both evening programs and really enjoyed the narration.
The programmes run on selected days of the week, so you may need to adjust your itinerary to attend the programs.
The Twilight Programme is indoors and lasts one hour. The host brings you up to speed with the current scientific view on the Solar system, zodiac constellations and celestial equator.
The Star program is outdoors (bring a cushion to sit on and warmer clothes). You get to see the notable stars, constellations and galaxies which are pointed out by a laser pen. Then you get a glimpse into the skies through a telescope (though in my opinion this was the least impressive part as you don’t get to see much).
The shop has an excellent collection of books for younger children.
Definitely worth a visit if you find yourself in this part of the world.

Go! Outstanding! Presentation was Great.

It is cold in the mountains. Being from the North--we know how to dress for the cold.
Best thing we did was to each bring a blanket.--otherwise you are sitting on a very cold stone bench

Though it was cloudy when we arrived the sky cleared long enough for us to see the stars and use their telescopes. The staff here is great and speakers are wonderful and it's a great place to visit. It is pitch black here with no exterior lighting except red walkway lights so be careful but do go!!!

Booked a star party and enjoyed every minute of it. We were shown the constellations and got to view the rings of Saturn and Jupiter's moons through the telescopes

Drove up to the observatory through some great scenery. Enjoyed the drive very much. We were not able to stay for the program but walked though the displays and shopped in the gift shop.

We reserved for everything except the 36” telescope. Solar review, Star Party explanation and star party. We ate dinner there and shopped at the gift shop
The 2pm lecture was informative, but long
Still we were scheduled to be there all day.
We had made reservations a month before and arrived to find everything was sold out so seriously recommend early reservations.
The explanation of the Star Party was excellent.
The gift shop had some nice items. It’s pricey but expected that. The Star Party was excellent - we stayed for all the lecture and looked for every telescope. The lines weren’t so bad.
. The food is ok - but there is just not enough time to drive back to Ft Davis to eat. The coffee offers refills which is the only bargain. I recommend you ray a really large lunch in Ft Davis before heading up for the 2-9pm stint at the Observatory.

Have heard about star parties for years so we finally went! Very knowledgeable staff-nice presentation before the viewings. There were quite a few people there and, while you had to wait in line to see through the telescopes--it was worth it. We saw a star cluster that is 40,000 light years way! The staff was very good at translating ideas and information from "geek speak" to plain words for us novices!

Bucket list item checked. Our tour guide Jaye was exceptional. The tour was all about the history of how the facilities came into being and about the telescopes themselves, Very little about what has been discovered with the telescopes, so disappointing for that but glad we came. Perhaps the night sky tours would have been more of what we were looking for.

Our second visit in 8 years! My kids are older now and loved it even more. Definitely a must do when in this area and enjoy the star party on a clear night- amazing.

On a whim while visiting Fort Davis, we decided to make the scenic drive to the McDonald Observatory. This is quite a complex and very educational experience. Glad we made the trip to the observatory complex.

Even if you are not really into space or astronomy, this is a must do if you are in the area. It is also highly recommended that you make advance reservations for the star parties because they do sell out. We went at night for the star party which I have heard so much about and it did not disappoint. While waiting for the program to start, we visited the gift shop which had a good variety of books, shirts, hats, etc. Once it was time for the program, we were taken outside to an outdoor ampitheater. It was a very cold night and we were sitting on cement benches. I recommend taking a blanket to sit on and to wear warm clothing, hats, and gloves because you will be outside the whole time. Also it is very dark with no outside lights except for some red rope lights on the ground. The program was very informative and interesting. Constellations, stars, and even planets were pointed out using a laser. Afterwards, we were allowed to look through high powered telescopes manned by astronomists who were able to answer our questions. There are so many more stars that can be seen through the telescopes than you can imagine. After going to the observatory, I am much more interested in the night skies.

While you need reservations, when you first start planning a visit to Ft Davis - Big Bend area, make sure you get your seat for the Star Party. In this incredibly dark part of Texas, well, with overflow light from the thousands of fracking well lights, you get a guided tour of the galaxy while staying in once place.

The crowd is given a laser point show of the various stars and planets, told by an amusing announcer, and when the party breaks up you can get in line to look into various smaller telescopes at the nearby planets and galaxies. We saw the four moons of Jupiter, the ring around Saturn and the remnants of an exploded galaxy.

The drive home is in pitch black, but the roads are well marked. Just be careful of deer and pigs entering the road.

This is a part of the trip you will talk about for a long time.

We enjoyed the solar presentation and the guided tour of the observatory. It was all very informative. We got a kick out of looking at images from the live telescope pointed at the sun in real time, and learning about what we were seeing. The big telescopes are very impressive, and we were thrilled to be allowed to push a button to move one of them. All in all, a great program.

We were surprised at the number of attendees at a Tuesday evening Star Party - probably 200 visitors. The evening opens with a presentation by a staff member in an outdoor amphitheater, when various planets, star clusters and other night sky features are highlighted. After a while, visitors are invited to view the stars through telescopes that are set up specifically for the Star Party. Each telescope station is "manned" by a staff member who describes what is being observed. Telescope viewing can be slow due to the visitor lines, but the waiting time is tolerable.

Stopped in here as a part of our Spring Break and we were not disappointed. We took the day tour and saw the Harlan J. Smith telescope and observatory. The whole tour was very informative. If you want to go at night you might need to buy tickets in advance but it probably isn't as busy as it was for spring break.

You start out in the main building for a briefing on the history of the area and what you're about to see. You then either get in your vehicle and drive up the hill or catch a limited seat shuttle (mostly for the elderly). You then go to the observatory (a little bit of a walk) and from there (at least in the one we were in) you climb 70 steps (a good workout!) or take the elevator. Either way, pretty much anyone can make this trip. One thing you should know is you don't actually get to look through a telescope. These telescopes gather data and it is interpreted through computers. Still, they are *colossal* to see up close. Even the drive to get there is very scenic.

Friends had told us that a Star Party was a wonderful experience, but my husband and I did not enjoy it at all. Not knowing what to expect, we felt the introduction was too brief and we were never told how the evening would work, that we were expected to wander around in the dark to the telescopes. It appeared to us that the management assumed everyone had been there before and knew the drill. The venue was way too crowded. By the time we figured out that we were supposed to move around to the various telescopes- (How many? Where located?) - there were at least 25 people lined up at each one. No way would I wait in a line like that to look at something (what?) that 24 previous folk had had their eyes on! Also, there were many children in attendance who should have been home in bed. There should be a minimum age- kids in pajamas and strollers should not be allowed in. The exhibits inside were mildly interesting, but we got nothing out of the outside program. A waste of money.

Went to my third special viewing night on 5 March, first time at the Harlan Smith; have previously done the 82" and 36". A fabulous and mind numbing experience to look through this famous tube at star light clusters XXX light years away. Staff extraordinary and eloquent in explaining telescope, light targets, search for exoplanets and how astronomers use light spectroscopy. For amateur star gazers this presents a rare opportunity as the 107" is the largest telescope in the world available for public viewing. Availability is scarce so you must often log on to the web site to see schedule. My astronomy bucket list is now fulfilled, but seriously would consider repeating notwithstanding expense and effort. AND while you're out there check out the Ft Davis Natl. Historic site

West Texas offers some of the clearest and darkest skies in America and the world which is why this observatory was established on top of Mount Locke and Mount Fowlkes in the Davis Mountains at around 7,500ft in altitude. Fall and Winter are when the skies are the clearest. Run by the University of Texas, the astronomers host a highly interactive teaching experience and the ability to see and use some of the best telescopes in the world. Although it can get late waiting for darkness, this is an outstanding activity for families to teach young people about what astronomy entails. Get there from Fort Davis, Texas on a scenic road, but best stay is halfway in between at is the Indian Lodge run by the Texas State Parks and built by the Depression Era Civilian Conservation Corp using local materials so much including hand-built furniture is made from old mesquite. RV and camping is also available with self-guided or guided trails. Highly recommended for couples and familiess.

We were fortunate to get private tours of the big telescopes so this review is biased because of our tour. But the observatory -- part of U of Texas -- is a wonderful place to visit, for kids and adults. They have a Star Party 4 times a week and the presenter did a fantastic job acquainting visitors with the night skies. They you go around and focus small scopes on various part of the sky, listening to experts tell you what you are seeing. The gift shop has some very nice things and the Star Date Cafe food is pretty good (sandwiches, quesadillas, hot dogs, etc). Definitely a must in this area

Even though we could not tour inside the telescopes, we still learned a lot. Tours are $10 for adults. Let them know if you can’t walk uphill. The parking area at the first telescope is below the telescope so you have to walked up the paved road to hear about the telescope. We were able to park at the top parking lot.

If you have an interests in Astronomy this is the place to go with DARK SKIES and all the telescopes everyone will learn something about Astronomy. GREAT Gift Shop.

You hear about this place your whole life & wonder what it's like to visit. Believe me they take care of you. The visitor center is fantastic. The tours exceptional, the tour guide is 5 stars. You get to go inside the observatory and are shown how they work. They exceeded my expectations. They also cater to children getting them involved. The star show takes place out side so the best time is to plan your visit when the moon is hidden. That way the stars really shine. A must see......

A great visitor center where there is lots to learn. Wonderful star parties in the evenings and excellent daytime programs. A world class observatory. An educational outreach program that is second to none.

Didn't know this place exists. Multiple telescopes. Free to scientists to use. When build many of the telescopes were the 3rd largest in the world.

The guided tour was very educational and entertaining. . The "Star Party" was amazing. Nice lecture and multiple telescope viewing kiosks. I have no idea where all the spectators came from. There must have bee hundreds of people in attendance. If you want to go, make a reservation.

My husband and I went to a Star Party being held at the McDonald Observatory. The Presenter used a laser light to show the stars and constellations. He was very knowledgeable but also had a great humor about him. After the presentation we were able to look through the telescopes to see stars and Saturn which was at a different angle , making it look like a meatball with a toothpick through it. The presenter said this only happens every few years when you cannot see the rings around Saturn.

The tour was very informative and enjoyable-----even in the DOWN POUR!!
Thankful for the clearing skis for the STAR PARTY!! We looked at galaxies, galaxies, planets, stars, THE HEAVENS!! BEAUTIFUL !! Great for all ages!!

The program about the sun was excellent. The gift shop has some really wonderful items. If you go up to the telescopes, DO NOT drive your RV! the views from up there are amazing!

This observatory is a wonderful place to be introduced to astronomy. They have many public events for star viewing and a great staff to educate you on what's up there. Getting there is also a great drive through west Texas.

Phenomenal night with great guide for the Star Party. Very informative, fun and beautiful. The only thing I would change is go to the telescopes early as the waits are sometimes long.

What a great place... everyone should visit here and learn about our world and others not so near by. They have a wonderful staff to guide you and educate you along the way.

I'm sorry but throw some $ out the car window & save yourself a drive up the mountain. Sat on a cold bench for a hour while a guy tried to be a comedian. ( He was not) When you finally got to a telescope ( not their big ones) they showed you stars. What? They did have one pointed at the moon & it was no better view than the one I get from a telescope from Wal- Mart. Sorry but just not get it.

We made last minute plans to go to the observatory and were unable to get tickets to the tour. The fault was ours, as the website clearly recommends advance reservations and we had limited availability with our schedule.
Not all was lost though. The drive up into the mountains and around the observatory is spectacular! On a clear day, you can see for miles. Even without the tour, we were pleased by the crisp mountain air and the amazing views.
We will book reservations for the next trip!

The McDonald Observatory is a cool place to visit. They are not allowing visitors to look through telescopes currently, so I would like to go back when they do! The guide was very informative about all of the constellations. It was fun learning about them and getting to really see them in a dark sky area.

My fiancé and I visited visited the McDonald observatory on a Saturday night to attend the star party ($15 per adult). Went during spring break and had a very chili so be sure to pack accordingly during season. Star party got very busy so arrive on time and pay attention to scheduling. They do have a cafe offering food, snack, beverages.

We were given directions over intercom of observatory and made our way outside for a constellation guidance from an employee which was absolutely fantastic! Following the constellation viewing we headed inside for a PowerPoint teaching of Exoplanets. Lastly, we made our way back outside to view constellations and the moon using the observatories telescopes.

FANTASTIC visit and must put on your list of to do’s! Would definitely go back.

We needed to plan this visit well in advance to ensure tickets were available. There is a little café on site, so you can get food, but seating and menu are very limited. Our Check-in was not pleasant as the staff acted like we were interrupting to ask where we needed to go. We found a few other policies were not particularly customer centered, also. The youngish lady (10 yrs there) who gave the video presentation inside (Twilight Tour) must be an actress because she was quite enthusiastic and playful during the presentation, which- by the way- caters to kids and made many of the adults feel less than intelligent. The same gal in the reception area was none too friendly and categorically told my wife that they do not provide WIFI. There had to be close to 200 people or more in attendance and most stayed for the telescope viewing (Star Party) which also was unspectacular. Believe me, if you have seen photos online or in magazines from recent space exploration, you have seen far better than any telescope they gave us to look through. My friends and I talked to several people during the lengthy wait at each telescope and almost unanimously they agreed that they were underwhelmed. Looking at Saturn, we expected to see the planet fill the view and to distinguish the rings and many colors. On the contrary, it was a white blob about 1/8 of the view area with undistinguishable features. I know there is a lot of science going on here, and I am glad for that. But, they have some to learn about making the public tours better informed and managing expectations.

My son and I visited the McDonald Observatory on the 16th of January, 2024 (yeah, yesterday). We had made all the arragements for the classes and tours thanks to my wife; it was a Christmas gift for him and me. We also had to good fortune to stay in the Astronomer's Lodge overnight.
First of all the Observatory is located in the Davis Mountains in south west Texas on the northern edge of the Big Bend. It is home to multipule telescopes for observation and research. The classes and tours show you some of the results of the research and takes you into the two biggest domes to see the telescopes there. In one case you are actually inside the dome and the guide allowed a couple of volunteers to move bothe the telescope ( a slight 160 tons or so) and the dome.
The Star Party, after sunset was great as well, in spite of a very bright cresent moon and some high, thin clouds moving in. Joe, our "star guide" was both knowledgeable an funny.
The Lodge was also delightful. Now, I have read review that complained about the lack of things, like TVs and such. Please remember, the Lodge is primarily housing for scientists; it is NOT a Holiday Inn or Hilton Hotel.
My hope is to return there with my son or wife or both in warmer weather (It was VERY cold) and during a "dark of the moon" period.
I HIGHLY recommend a visit at any time!

Do Not Miss the Star Party! Seriously, it is an amazing experience. After we had made our reservation, we read about the size of the crowds and were a bit hesitant. The crowd is not a problem at all. The presentation is very interesting and informative, and there is plenty of seating. The viewing lines move pretty quickly and there are plenty of telescopes available to look through, and while you are waiting you have the wonderful diversion of the whole sky full of the most and brightest stars you will ever see. The astronomers are happy to answer questions at each station, and very patient with us non-scientist types. I had read about the road up and back and was a bit apprehensive about driving it at night after the party. It is a winding road but they have it so well marked with reflectors that it was never any problem, and people are leaving at different times throughout the evening, so there weren't a lot of cars all at once. Also, go early so you can watch the sunset.

This is a scenic 45 minute drive from Marfa through the Davis Mountains. The Observatory itself is not worth the tour unless you have a serious passion for it and want to take the full guided tour. Please note that you are not allowed in the telescope facilities while doing the self guided tour but you can drive up to them and look at the larger one through a glass barrier. The staff at the welcome center are very nice and ask for a dollar donation for a pamphlet about the grounds. The night viewing events are only on Tuesdays and Fridays.

I went with a group of friends to the Star Party. Unfortunately, we picked one of those days where it was cloudy..... We had a quick look at some of the telescopes and then opted for a refund. The staff were very helpful.

We went to the Observatory in October on a Friday night. I was sort of surprised at how many people were there for the Star Party. Apparently, Fridays and Saturdays are usually busy year-round. If you are planning a visit - try for earlier in the week.

We attended the Star Party on Presidents Day weekend, but we took off early because we weren’t prepared for how cold it would be after the sun went down (take blanket and cocoa). The sky was mostly cloudy this night, though we did see some stars and a satellite which was cool. They had some talks going inside the visitor center as well since the sky wasn’t cooperating. It would help also if they let people know at the start of the program to put away their phones as your eyes need to adjust to the darkness. There were a lot of annoying kids who couldn’t get off their screens, but I suppose the experience varies by crowd. The center is very nice though. Dress warmer than you think you’ll need to and you’ll have a better time.

We got tickets in advance for a Star Party (the observatory promises to refund most of the cost if the weather turns out to be bad) and are so glad we did. There must have been over 300 people there, on a chilly night! The site is remote but the drive there is lovely, and it's not too far from Marfa, Fort Davis and Big Bend.
The little theater shows the old 'Power of 10' short film all evening. Outside, after an entertaining short presentation you can walk around to two sets of small telescopes aimed at celestial objects. We got to see the surface of the moon, the Orion Nebula and the Pleiades.

Went to the star party last night. It was a little hazy and the cloud cover was closing in but the staff did an awesome job showing us the constellations as best they could. There was no moon so all we saw through the telescopes was clusters of stars but it was still awesome! We stayed until about 10 at which time the cloud were pretty much everywhere. Again- the staff was great and you could tell they really loved what they were doing! Would definitely come back!

Not only is McDonald Observatory an interesting place to visit, the drive up there gives you a view of the whole area ,Fort Davis is a great small town to base yourself in for the whole of southwest Texas.

Reserve in advance— we saw many people turned away. There were 6 or 7 telescopes set up for viewing and lines were not too bad. The introductory presentation on the constellations was very informative as well. We saw Saturn, Jupiter and two distant galaxies! We stayed almost three hours and it didn’t even seem like it. Just be careful driving out afterwards— lots of wildlife on the road.

Went to twilight program, star party, and solar program. Too cloudy to see much but staff had cloudy day program and show us a lot digitially. Wish I could see more stars on their telescopes but only so much they could control. Great programming and learned a lot. Food from cafe was decent. Thought star party was too crowded with about 300 people but had lots of fun. Will be coming back.

We took a daytime tour and were presented with more information than I wanted to know about those telescopes. A lot of numbers will run through your head. Still I learned some science “stuff” and a bit of history of some astronomy tools. The children under age 10 (a guess) were totally bored.
We ate lunch at the cafe which was good.

We went to the Star party Friday night. Amazing to look through the telescopes and see Jupiter and the craters on the Moon

The observatory is well worth your time to visit. If you haven't toured the facilities I would suggest 2 visits - one for the tour and a second visit for the star party.

Total waste of time to go during the day. You don’t get to see the telescope. You don’t get to see anything except the visitor center (which is one room) and the gift shop.

Fine observatory part of UT (and others) system. The star parties are exceptional with multiple telescopes of varying power, each directed at a unique heavenly target. Very well hosted by knowledgeable astronomers. Unique gift shop. Frequently well attended, so make advance reservations.

We lucked into excellent viewing, and were rewarded with a spectacular sky. If you hit it right, there is nothing more humbling than looking at galaxies millions of light years away!

My husband, 19yr old grandson, and I thoroughly enjoyed the twilight class on the moon. Then, we attended the star party and learned about the constellations. Both instructors were excellent teachers, entertaining as well as very knowledgeable and willing to answer questions. The star party includes viewing the stars using various telescopes of different levels of power. On our evening we were able to view Jupiter, too! This event takes approximately 3-4 hrs depending on how long you spend viewing the at the Star Party.

Loved this place! First things first - the tour, star party, and the twilight program are very inexpensive. The tour guide was great, she was very knowledgeable and had an awesome personality. Loved the twilight program a great entry into astronomy and our solar system and our galaxy. Lastly the star party was awesome. They have 5-6 telescopes set up for you to view the night sky and a great lecture on the galaxy. You’ll def want to buy a telescope when you get home! Be warned, it’s outside and at night so if you go in the fall, winter, or spring - bundle up - it gets cold up there at night!

I cannot say enough about this experience. We learned a few things and saw some really fascinating stuff, but the people made it an amazing experience. Friendly and warm, everyone we interacted with made us feel welcome. Can't wait until the kids are bigger and understand more!! We Will be back!

We were two of 12 participants on a Special Viewing Night with the 82inch telescope. On these events you are dependent on the weather, and we were fortunate to have clear skies and good viewing. Our guides were passionate and informative. They guided us through about a dozen "targets" all of which were mind-boggling when considering their distance from earth. These experiences aren't offered very often, but I'd definitely recommend them.

We did the day tour and that night also did the Star Gazing Party. The staff at the observatory are all very knowledgeable and we got to see so much. It's definitely worth the trip! I'd recommend it for both adults as well as children.

Very cool for astronomy
Seeing the telescopes and the Star Party. Saw lots of wildlife.
Very far off the beaten path, no cell phone service. We enjoyed the trip.

This was a highlight of our trip to Big Bend. If you like all things about space, go to the star party. It’s outdoors and you haven’t seen so many stars in the night sky in forever! One thing to be aware is that the elevation is very high and so it will be cold! Not just chili, you have to be prepared to freeze your ass off. Bring a beanie, a sweatshirt, a coat, gloves, scarf, hoodie, blankets. No lie. But if you are warm and comfortable the whole evening will be fascinating and you will have so much fun.

The official tour director gave a fantastic tour! He was chock full of interesting facts about the skies AND the telescopes. It was amazing how much information that he gave, BUT the highlight of the tour was not just showing us the scope but repositioning it, moving the dome, etc., and letting some of the tour take the controls, too. No tour of an observatory we have taken has ever included demonstrating "the moving parts"--much less "hands on". We saw two of the "giant scopes". I went in thinking "ho hum" and came out having spend a "wow" day!! I even got to "drive the scope". The tour is a long one (about 4 hours in total), but we came out SO impressed. They have Star Night viewings (which we didn't get to attend) and sun viewing which is part of the tour on clear days (which is most days). I hope they keep this tour director forever! It would be a long day for little kids, but a must for "big kids" like us. The drive and view is nice as well, and the little cafe has some great lunch items. I can truly say it is one of the best tours

I can’t praise this facility highly enough. We did the afternoon and the night lectures and they were highly informative and entertaining. The nighttime lecture in the pitch black was one of the best we have ever attended and is an essential thing to do if you can possibly get to visit here.

It’s a fun, winding drive to the top of the mountain with nice panoramic views, but if you don’t have a reservation there’s not too much to do at the top.

They have a gift shop and some interactive areas and the giant sundial in the front is kinda cool, buts that’s about it.

I’m sure it would be pretty awesome if we had made reservations. 🤷🏻‍♀️

The Observatory was worth an extra night's stay! Even with 300 people in attendance for the Star Party, the staff did an amazing ushering guest throughout a series of telescopes. We got there early and had a bite while watching the sunset. Get to the exhibit before the crowd arrives. If you do not have kids with you, I recommend hanging back a bit and let the crowd thin before getting on line for the larger telescopes. The short lines at the smaller telescopes and the helpful staff made the experience terrific. By the time we were done with the smaller ones, the lines for the larger telescopes was half the size.

Visited over Thanksgiving break and got tickets to the Star Party.
The drive was absolutely amazing because the sunset was incredible behind the mountains. It was crazy windy but clouds didn't really interfere with viewing. (They did offer refunds or visitors could switch nights if they didn't want to stay. We stayed.)
Looking up at the stars was just incredible and the numbers of stars was insane! The line at each telescope was not bad at all.
I would definitely recommend it if you are in the area.

Due to our traveling schedule, my husband and I only had a few hours to spend at the observatory therefore, we couldn’t take both the guided tour and the solar viewing presentation. We opted for the solar viewing and, it was very informative and educational. Our presenter was well versed and constantly engaged the audience with questions and factual tidbits. It lasted about 50 minutes and we saw live pictures of the sun as well as movable slides. There is a nice cafe off to the side as well as a cool gift shop, clean restrooms and an interactive small museum to enjoy. All employees we encountered were friendly and helpful. Well worth the quick visit!

Attended the twilight program and the star party. Really enjoyed all the knowledge that was shared. The staff seems to love what they do.

This was my first visit. Unfortunately, it was so foggy there was no view. Apparently, when it's clear you can see for quite a ways off. The visitors center has a gift shop, snack shop, and small free display area. There are three telescopes here. I did the self-guided tour which meant I could only get into see one of them. I would recommend the guided tour.

Didn't know what to expect but our time at the Observatory was marvelous. We took the 2:00 tour and listened to the solar viewing lecture. Learned so much and had a very entertaining guide, Kelly, as we went to each of the observatories via bus. If you just go to the visitor center you will be disappointed since there is not much to see in the daylight and the field of astronomy is complicated for many. Let an experienced person share their knowledge and answer questions as you are escorted into places off limits if you are on your own. The talk, film, and tour are necessary to the experience. A nice gift shop and café as well as restrooms are at the visitor center as you wait or if you attend one of their famous Star Parties.

I really enjoyed visiting here. The star party was really cool for our whole family. I REALLY want to come back sometime.

The sky did not want to behave at the beginning for our Star party and the staff made sure that we knew we had a chance to get a rain check or a refund. Eventually, the sky cleared out and my daughter nearly cried at the things she got to see and do. Hearing staff tell me the expression my daughter was making as she looked through a telescope and saw her favourite planet or a star cluster, was worth the exhausting 9-hour drive to visit this place. We had to exchange a shirt and they were very accommodating! I will be bringing her back!

Been before and we really enjoy this place. Unfortunately it was overcast the whole time we were there this time, so didn't get to do the star gazing tour. While the actual observatory and the guided tours are first rate, a lot of the visitor's area is in serious need of repair/maintenance. MOST of the hands-on displays were broken - disappointing.
Still highly recommended, but remember, you must have appointments to see and do a lot of the stuff nowadays. Can't just walk in anymore and do what you want. So be sure to get signed up well in advance.

Visited the observatory multiple times before finally going to a star party, and now we’ll only go back for this extra special event.

The tour of the telescopes and surrounding facilities is incredible and very informative. The tour guide, Shannon W is very knowledgable and answered many questions about the facility and the space program. The star party is a must also and is very informative and entertaining. Be sure to wear a warm jacket for this one since it is done at night and outdoors. It may be 95 in the daytime but it gets in the low 60s or 50s at night. After the discussion, you are invited to view the heavens through many telescopes that are operated by the staff. It is really great and not to be missed.

Had enjoyable and informative trip. Would recommend, dress up warmly it can be chilly.

Great view from telescope of Saturn and it simply rings, good talk on the night sky.

Of all the telescopes that you're allowed to visit, one of them was closed, the other has a tiny lobby with little to no information but the HET telescope has an abundance of interesting videos, exhibits and an awesome view of the actual telescope. When we were there, they actually moved the telescope which was kind of cool. I'm sure if you were to take a tour that the experience would've been much better, but for us, at least, the experience was lack lusting due to lack of information and views.

If you have any interest in the night sky or astronomy this is a must see. The observatory offers several programs. My wife and I did the solar viewing, twilight program, and the star party.

The solar view party started in a small theater room where a staff member gave a presentation on the sun. This was great but it started in the mid afternoon after I had a busy day at the Fort Davis Historical Ruin....I feel asleep. They then take you on a tour of the two large telescopes. This was more about the mechanics of the telescope and for a person interested in the stars is a little less interesting.

The Twilight program took us back to the theater room where another class was given on the entire solar system. This was pretty cool at the beginning but as the class progressed the material became a little dull.

The MAIN EVENT. The star Party. Starting with an announcement at 7:00pm and a walk out to the Amphitheater the Star Party consists of a tour of the constellations lead by a staff member and a laser pointer that can only be described as a lightsaber. After the constellations there were 9 telescopes set up on the grounds all targeting different objects in the sky. Very Cool. It was a cold November night so dress accordingly. Take snacks the restaurant offers very little and is overwhelmed by the crowd. Book in advance! You won't show up and be able to buy a ticket for that night.

We planned our trip around one of the special 82" telescope viewing nights, choosing March over February because there's a higher chance of clear skies. There are only a couple of viewing nights a month, though there are many open Star Parties, which do not involve the big telescopes. My husband has always wanted to do this and he was not disappointed. As noted elsewhere, the group is 12-15 people and everyone gets a turn with each new target. We saw stars that are millions of years old and they do a nice job of explaining what you're looking at.

We were nervous driving up because there had been clouds in the sky all day, but they cleared out and we when we walked out of the observatory the sky was sparkling.

Logistics: It's cold at night and you're in the mountains so dress warmly, especially since you're sitting in a building with the roof open. We stayed in the Astronomer's Lodge where the accommodations are pretty spartan (twin beds except for one room with a king), but it's worth it to just walk down from the observatory and go to bed. Also, you really do get to have breakfast with astronomers and the view cannot be beat. It's glorious to wake up in the mountains.

We did not have time to attend a Star Party (and the weather the night before was not good), but our visit was still very special. We had not realized that there are about a dozen telescopes at this facility or that the Big One is one of the largest in the world. It was quite amazing to see the real time video feed from the telescope viewing the sun - this included sun spots and solar flares. We were the only people doing the early visit of the day, so we got to see the telescopes and talk with our guide at a very leisurely and informative pace. Seeing the telescopes adjusted and the huge dome rotated is a special experience. I'm sure that the Star Party would be exceptional, particularly on a dark, clear night with a New Moon. That takes some planning and luck!

Wow, what a place! If you want to learn about astronomy, this is the place! I highly recommend the Daytime, Twilight and Star Party programs. You need a reservation for the last 2. All are well worth the modest cost. During the Star Party, at one of the telescopes, I saw the M1 Galaxy which is some 12 MILLION light years from earth. They also discuss the various constellations and why they change locations in the night sky.

We went to the Star Party over Spring Break on an extremely windy and cool night with lots of people. I think the staff did a good job given the circumstances. They kept us all inside the visitor's center until 8:45 and gave the spiel that they apparently usually do outside in the amphitheater over the loudspeaker system. Once they let us go, we could go to an outdoor constellation tour, visit the telescopes outside (there were about 10 or 12), go to a lecture on identifying satellites (inside), or watch a video inside.

We did only the outside activities. The constellation tour was really interesting and helpful. The telescopes were okay. We often waited 10-15 minutes to look at stars (one line was 30 minutes!!), and we couldn't even really understand what we were seeing. The moon lines were shorter and better for the little ones.

I would go again on a warmer night. We wore base layers, leggings, pants, two shirts, winter coats, hats, gloves, and wool socks. We were generally warm except for our face and extremities.

Went on a Friday night for the stargazing program. You should pretty buy your tickets online. Check in at the front desk tour the little Museum tour the gift shop. I suggest arriving at least half an hour early. Plenty of parking. Little Restaurant and Grill on site with reasonable prices. There is a setting outdoor Amphitheater where you get the introduction here a little speech and they point out some of the constellations and or planets in the sky. The guides are awesome. And they have all these telescopes set up some of them are permanent structures some of them are temporary ones they set up just for the evening. Each one looks at a different star planet or unique outer space nebula type thing. I highly recommend this for people with children ages 8 and up or for all adults.

This is an incredible place for learning about how deep space research is done by astronomers. The third largest telescope in the world can be seen here. It was a rainy, foggy day when we visited the observatory - a perfect day for the tour. We took the self guided tour which is free. Astronony, astronomical research, Einstein's Theory of Relativity, Black Holes, the Big Bang, etc., etc. are mysteries to us, but we certainly understand a whole lot more now after the tour than we did before. How data is collected by the telescope, analyzed and what it reveals can only be called amazing. Astronomers don't even look through telescopes any more. They just look at the data after the data is collected by the telescope and filtered through a computer. Want to know more? Go to McDonald's Observatory.

We were worried about the full moon but had a great time. There was a full crowd but the lines at the telescopes were not too long. Give yourself time to shop, the gift store has nice tshirts and books. Take a jacket, it really cools off at night.

We did all three tours. All were very interesting. It was one day away from the full moon so star gazing was not the best. We did get an awesome view of the moon surface so clear that we could see the craters very well. We were able to see Mars and the formation of some new stars.
The staff were friendly and our interpreter Rachel was very informative. We enjoyed the experience.

Been here before to go to the daytime & night time programs. Just came for nighttime this time. It can get breezy & cold during the nighttime program ! Dress accordingly & bring blankets if needed. Definitely bring blankets to sit on cold rock seats in amphitheater. Plus seats have no backs for those with bad backs etc. the talk and explain the stars & planets. Hopefully skies are clear the night you go 👍 The had 8 telescopes set up on different planets & things to view….pretty cool !

I booked our reservations online so already had some idea of what we would be doing. Staff was very friendly, prices weren't bad. You can do the free walking tour, but I think we got a lot more out of the paid tour. The view on the way there is awesome. I am so glad I got to experience this place with my family. There were some teenagers on our tour that couldn't have cared less, but mine are actually interested in learning and seeing new things. We did the day tour then went back for the twilight program and star party. Just a tip if you go, there is a bus that can take you from the visitor center to the telescopes. If you do not walk well, be honest with staff and they will give you a pass to ride the bus. On the one telescope this will help a lot because the parking lot is below the building and a slight grade with bad knees is tough. The second telescope has a parking lot that is right by the building so no problem. Book the tour, you get to go in the building on both telescopes instead of just one. Great information provided on the tour. The star party was fantastic. My only complaint, and maybe it was just because I was tired from hiking and running around all day, is that all over the website about the star party it says do not bring cameras, do not use cell phones, do not allow children to wear light up shoes, do not bring anything that emits light. I don't always follow rules to the letter, but it states that you can see the stars better if your eyes acclimate to the dark. I can't tell you how many times we sat there with everyone around us taking pictures. A girl scout troop in front of us I swear had a camera with the light of the sun attached to it. Seriously, I was blinded because my night vision had started setting in. We kept seeing flashes go off all over the place. So, either take your cameras and have a good time, or don't get irritated by those that choose to ignore what you read on the website. Also, we went when the moon was fairly full which actually is not the best time to go. We had AWESOME views of the moon and could see craters and detail which was so cool, but it was so bright that it diminished our view of other stars and things that can be seen when the moon is a sliver so look at the moon phase before going to the star party. It could make a difference on what all you are able to see. I just didn't think about that before deciding when we went.

We were awe struck with the solar universe presentation. The speaker was engaging, knowledgeable and was able to relate the information to youngsters of all ages. She was fabulous. Plan to spend several hours and check for times of shows.

The primary purpose of or trek to Big Bend was to go to the McDonald. We're not astronomy nerds or anything like that but this is an amazing facility that many people aren't aware of. It's in the middle of nowhere precisely because there isn't much light pollution in the middle of nowhere and that's part of what makes the McDonald so unique.
While you can just go it on your own, I highly recommend signing up for a guided tour as well as a private viewing from one of their telescopes. The tour gets you insight on the various telescopes including history, what they're used for and how they work. And the private viewing gets you access to actually look through one of the scopes with a small group (ours was 10). These require advance (some months in advance) reservations so plan ahead if at all possible. And, in spite of the fact you were wearing shorts and t-shirts while traipsing around the valley, make sure you wear something more substantial and bring layers; especially if you're doing one of the private viewings at night. It gets really cold (think 40's and 50's with wind) and the 36" scope we were using wasn't climate controlled so it was pretty nippy.
We also met someone at the private viewing that was staying at the astronomers' quarters on site. We didn't know that was even an option but, again, I'm sure they had made reservations long ago. We stayed in Ft. Davis which the closest place we could find.
Whether or into astronomy or not, it's a fascinating place and other places in the area are interesting as well. Ft. Davis, Alpine, Marfa, Big Bend. All iconic Texas locations each with their own draw.
And even when it's hotter than heck in Big Bend, you can come up to the observatory, cool off, learn something and be amazed by what you can see in the night sky that you just can't see in the cities because of all the artificial light. Truly reminds you of what a spec of sand we and the earth are in the time and space of the universe.

Great tours and educational programs. This is a world class observatory. The stargazing program was also great, but quite cold when I was there.

The staff is very easy to work with. We had tickets about 2 yrs ago and decided to postpone and when I went to use again, the process was super simple. Unfortunately you are at the mercy of mother nature so we ended up leaving early and will be able to use our admission again later but what we did see was breathtaking.

There is no better place to see the big and bright stars over Texas than right here in one of the darkest places of the state. Even without a telescope this spot is amazing; when you look up, all you see is a true cobweb of planets and stars. The Twilight Program is enjoyable--the astronomer talking knew how to keep the talk engaging for adults but understandable for children, and there is a part where children from the audience can participate in the narrative. There were 600 people there for the Star Party, and it was extremely cold, so while it was amazing to look through the telescopes there were lines and it was hard to get around to more than three of them. I plan to go again in the spring!

If you or your family have any interest in viewing the heavens, both daytime and night time, then you want to visit here. The lecture time is very good and informative and is well done. We want to go again.

The only drawback is the weather. The program is limited if the weather is cloudy or raining.

My daughter and I planned a West Texas jaunt around one of the observatory's "Star Parties," in which they let people look through a variety of telescopes at night in the wonderfully dark skies around Ft. Davis. We were prepared for disappointment since the skies had been cloudy and we even had hail when we were eating dinner. But miraculously, the sky began to clear at the 9:00 PM start time approached. Scientists and students began hauling out large portable telescopes and opening up two of the small domed telescopes and focusing on various stars and nebulae. You waited in line at each scope to take a look, and the operator would explain what you were seeing. It was just beautiful and so heartening to see parents bringing their children to experience this. The observatory itself is well-laid out and very kid-friendly. We were so impressed that we made an unplanned journey back the next day for the daytime tour. There is an informative sun lecture (again, very kid-friendly) and a live look at the sun on a projection screen. Then you get on a shuttle and ride way up to one of the serious research telescopes for an also quite interesting tour. We also saw the newer research scope a little lower down. Can't say enough good--it was just fascinating.

We took the formal tour of the observatory and were very impressed. The visitor's center has a huge exhibit detailing the history of the observatory which is very interesting. Then the tour begins with a movie about light pollution and what the sun is and has been doing. So interesting. After the movie and lecture then we loaded up and headed to the first telescope to learn about it's history and house then we head over to the new telescope to learn about it and how technology has advanced from the first to the second telescope. Totally worth a visit and to do the formal tour!

We recently planned a trip to west Texas only because we got a booking ( finally!) for the special viewing night through 36 inch telescopeon Dec 13, 2022 at the Mcdonald observatory. Our expectations were high as the tickets cost $100 per person and were rare to schedule. The event itself was bit of a hog wash. First our guide was unable to focus the telescope lens nor could she move the telescope in the right direction. She labored through the process and had no specific information regarding the viewings which were blurry at best. And on a night that was dark and clear. One expects that the person in charge of giving the tour know a little more about the exhibits and come prepared to show and tell with some enthusiasm.The tour failed on all counts. The 3 hour viewing ( per the plan) ended after 1.5 hours lackadaisically, telling us we might as well have seen the starty night and the milky way ourselves on our own. It was a total waste and a big disappointment. It is sad that after promising so much observatory does not care to assign a person with astronomy background or related knowledge. And so theres no value added to the entire time spent there, cant call it an experience. Sorry!

Great place to learn about astronomy . Attended the star party o a Saturday night and had a great time.

Went a little out of my way to visit here, but was well worth it !! Did not do the Star tour (was the next night) but the regular tour was really interesting. Christine is an amazing presenter, she should get an A++ with how she explained the sun views and the telescope history and viewing. Unfortunately, it was cloudy the day I visited, so there were no live views of the sun from there, but there were from other parts of the world. Going up to see the two telescopes on the mountains was awesome, if you do, be aware that it's high altitude (almost 7000 ft) and you might get winded easier... I climbed the stairs instead of the elevator... silly me :) Also almost as interesting are the roads in and out of there, great scenery and interesting historical plaques along the way. Highly recommended !!

An amazing tour that really helps you understand the world beyond this Earth. Take the tour fir it is worth the two hour investment.

It is great it has the best food! Why don't you come? It has fries burgers so good! Has coffee and shakes wait theres more and COOKIES!Yum i know right! So come here now! Why are you waiting? so go now!

We went to a Star Party just after new year's, which is high season for this area. The Star Party was sold out (we bought tickets about 3 weeks in advance) and the place was packed. We were able to view different planets, moons, and stars from six telescopes before our kids got too cold and wanted to go home. (It gets very cold as soon as the sun goes behind the mountains....it was about 20 degrees by the time we left.)

I would suggest to have dinner in the town of Fort Davis before a Star Party. The only food option at the observatory is a very limited, basic cafe menu and it's packed full of people on a Star Party night.

Bucket list item! Was a fantastic program despite the frigid cold and big spring break crowds. The view of the moon surface in the telescope was beyond amazing. I wish i could have looked at it all night but there were many many others waiting for their turn! We lucked out and had clear viewing and most appreciated was the upbeat and helpful staff even though they were overrun with visitors! Pro hint if it is even a little cold bring blankets to sit on and wrap up in..dress warm!!!!

Even though it was cloudy, we still learned a lot. By far, the staff made the visit enjoyable. They were witty and easy to work with. They offered refunds or reschedule because of the weather.

We had a wonderful experience at the observatory. Loved the tour and the Star Party. We are going to try to come back. Advice to visitor - wear warm clothing and book online ahead of time. We did and our experience was very enjoyable.

We attended the Star Party on Friday, Jan. 12th. As the moon had not come up, the sky was clear and dark, but unfortunately, the only planet in view was Uranus and with the 20+” telescopes, there is no detail. Perhaps if the moon was up, you could see some detail with these scopes.

Other objects we saw were the Crab Nebula, Star clusters and individual stars, but still, at a 60X magnification, they are still very small.

Think we will plan on a June or July date when Saturn and Jupiter are visible.

Due to cold weather, try and take a blanket to sit on as the stone benches are very cold.

All in all, still a wonderful event. All the staff and facilities are great

We attended a Saturday night Star party and we loved it! Amazing views in their top notch scopes from planets to galaxies colliding! Great staff gives more info than you can possible retain and the gift shop and visitor center are top notch. We actually went back during the day to shop and avoid crowds. Pick up a choco taco in the snack shop!!

About a 30-minute drive from Indian Lodge, the McDonald Observatory Star Party was well worth the effort. Parking was plentiful with close access to the facilities. Once inside the main building, a gift shop, small museum, cafe were available. Outside it was a short walk to the top open seating area with surrounding telescopes. Seating is close to amphitheater-like (stone row seating). We went in December so be certain to dress very very warm as it was around 30 degrees F. Skies were amazing!!! No light pollution so we could see stars, galaxies, planets, constellations everywhere. Short presentation (about 60 minutes), then you could go to the separate telescopes and view pre-selected targets. Then a trip inside for some much-needed hot chocolate, coffee, snacks, etc.. Nice small gift shop available for goodies. Well worth the trip for this experience.

Booked both the Guided Tour and the Star Party. Guided Tour was quick, but was jammed packed with information. Got to stand inside of the 107 inch telescope. Well worth it. Star Party on the other hand, was ridiculous. There had to been 150-250 folks wandering around in the dark. Lines to view the various portable telescopes setup on lawn was long. No admittance to any of the big boy telescopes.

We were staying at Davis Mtn. State Park for the week so had time to experience all of the experiences offered. Enjoyed the tour of the observatories, got to go inside and see the telescopes up close. The guide was very enjoyable and educational. The Star Party was a highlight. Be ready to be patient though. Lots of people so must wait for your turn to look through each telescope. Pricey but felt it was worth the cost. Order tickets online for a discount.

We had a great day and night at the Observatory. We booked a solar viewing and tour of one of the observatories in the morning. Which was very informative. Then we came back for the twilight viewing which was a great and interesting presentation about Planets. Once we completed this we went out to the amphitheater for the Star Party. First an astronomer showed us some constellations using a very powerful laser pointer that actually pointed at the stars. During this night, which had completely clear sky we were able to see thousands of stars because of the protected dark skies. We then were able to view the sky through 8 different telescopes. I saw Jupiter, Saturn, some moons of Jupiter, a couple of nebulae and a few other things (that I can’t quite remember the name of. All in all the 3 visits cost us $75 for 3 people. The actual museum itself is free but the tours and party were extremely well worth the money. Small cafe with freshly made hot snacks. Oh and lovely little humming birds live out on the patio- almost as wonderful as the stars. Christina was a great guide.

Definitely worth a stop if in the area or as a destination. The self tour is okay but make sure to go look at the HET. We did a solar party and a star party at the main plaza and that was good. We plan to go back!

This is a fabulous facility and is staffed with great techs! The star party was great even though we had over 200 people showed up on a cloudy day and the telescopes had to be re- focus on different objects every couple of minutes. The $10 trip with the mini-lecture of what ought to be seen if no clouds was excellent!

We went to Star Party on a Tuesday night and liked it very much. The observatory is located only 15 miles northwest of Fort Davis on Hwy 118, but it takes about 25 minutes to drive this distance. The visitor's center has plenty of parking. There are two exits for the observatory off of Hwy 118, but it does not matter which one you take because both roads lead to the visitor's center. Make sure that you buy your Star party tickets online and well in advance. Each Star Party is usually sold out. After dark we left the visitor's center and walked to the outdoor theater behind the visitor's center where we were given talk about the visible planets and constellations in the night sky. Then we went to look through seven different telescopes. Sometimes you had to wait in a short line, but usually not for long. We saw two views of Saturn (about 750 million miles away), two views of the moon (a total view and a closeup view), a nebula, and globular and open star clusters. The astronomers manning the telescopes were very approachable and answered everyone's questions. It was a beautiful, crisp night, and we enjoyed it immensely.

If you're the least bit interested in astronomy, this is the place for you!
Check their web page. They have a program called Star Party and there is also a tour of the Huge telescopes.
My only regret is we went in January-Bitter cold, 28 degrees!!

The best ever constellation review during the StarParty. A must with a visit to this stellar site. One piece of advice, dress warmly for the night programs.

I opened the door for someone and they jumped ahead of us and got the last tour tickets...they should offer more tours, but at least we got to drive up.

this was the high light of my trip! i loved everything about it. i had wanted to see this for many years. we took the afternoon tour where you actually go inside some/ maybe 2 of the domes. it is amazing to see the size of the telescopes. very informative. very detailed.

Amazing clear night - wonderful to see Mars in the western sky
Enjoyed the laser pointer and constellation presentation
We had 400 in our group so we had lines for the 10 telescopes set up for us
Note it is cold on the mountain dress warm and bring something to sit on as the stone benches are not heated

Our reserved evening Star Party ended up being cloudy. They went to their "plan B". We were still glad we went. All the employees we encountered were nice and top notch!

If you like stargazing this is one of the places to go! There are two tours a day where you get a classroom education about the facility then a tour of two of the telescopes at the site. Then in the late evening you get a hands-on view of the stars in a blacked-out sky. Individual telescopes are set-up and manned by knowledgeable people who are there to explain and educate about what you're looking at.
If you've never seen the stars in an artificial light deprived atmosphere then you're missing a whole new insight. The sky is totally black and the stars just pop! The technology and science that's being used at the site is mind boggling. Each telescope at the site uses a different means/technology to explore and document the infinite space beyond earth and it's fascinating. The telescopes are used by researchers all over the world - both on site and digitally. This is a must see!!!

If you have a child that has shown any interest in astronomy-this is the perfect place to really spark that passion. Even though the evening began with high clouds little by little a brilliant night sky emerged. The speakers did a great job of talking about astronomy on a level anyone could understand. They pointed out ‘tips’ to enhance your viewing experience and the kids took away memories and information they’ll be able to use on their own to find constellations and specific stars in the sky. And it was just plain fun!

So informative. You can’t get this level experience from a book or online. The star party will help you piece together the map of the sky that you’ve seen on paper & could never make sense of because you can’t see the whole thing from your sky at home. The presenter points a powered laser into the sky to explain the constellations and how to visualize it. Then you look through various telescopes and whatever their “target” is at the time. The 2nd most powerful telescope in the world is here. Plan on a lonely, dark, long drive home afterwards with no cell service or WiFi for navigation. Totally worth it!!

Every Texan needs to attend one star party here. Loved the twilight show and the tour through the stars was so great. During a new moon is the time to go!

We went for the facility tour. It was a cloudy day unfortunately, so we did not get to see the sun close up. We did visit the 107 in., Harlan J. Smith, telescope which is very impressive, especially when we moved the scope and the dome. Then we went over to the 11 meter Hobby-Eberly telescope. It was very interesting but not as fun, because the mirror was turned away from us.
So, the clouds put a damper on the tour, but it was very interesting and the equipment is awesome.
We will be coming back for a Star Party on a clear night.

Our family had tickets for one of their star parties which was unfortunately cancelled due to the Coronavirus scare. We opted instead for the daytime tour which was still going ahead.
Our tour guide, Judy, was very knowledgeable and humorous. She gave a fascinating presentation on the Sun, followed by a tour of the Harlan J. Smith 107-inch telescope. She even let my twin boys operate the telescope and the observatory dome!

A spectacular place to learn about the night sky. The staff is enthusiastic and knowledgeable. The twilight and star parties are a must see. ( make reservations well in advance, as they can sell out two months in advance) Educational fun for the entire family.

I've never been able to see more stars in my life! I saw at LEAST 10 shooting stars within the few hours I was there. Went to the Lunar presentation before the star party, which was fun and very informative. There were plenty of telescopes set up at the star party, and they were manned by wonderful and knowledgeable staff. We had a great time! I will definitely be going back 😊

We came for the star party and reserved our tickets online(a must!), so we walk in to the visitor center to inquire about where to go and the time to be there. The old wrinkled dark haired lady says “I don’t know”, somewhere around here”. I ask what time it starts. She answers “DO YOU HAVE TICKETS BECAUSE ITS SOLD OUT!”, I answered yes we did. She then states “well I don’t know if it’s gonna happen tonight because of all the dust!”. Wow, I think to myself, What an idiot! well there’s no fool like an Old Old fool! McDonalds Obsevatory: if you’re mission was to hire complete unhelpful morons at the front information desk. Mission accomplished sir! Other than that the star party was great! go see it, very neat area! Saw a lot of planets, galaxies, and stars.

We visited here during spring break and were simply amazed. The visitors center is fantastic. Although you should make reservations for the ours in advanced, we were able to walk in and get two open spaces for the day tours. How fortunate we were that our tour guide was a retired employee who had worked here over 30 years! He was so informative, everyone in our group did not want the tour to end! This is a must see for all age groups.

Star party was outstanding. Learned a lot. Actually did all 3 tours and was surprised on how good they were. The daytime sun tour educates us on the sun and showed us actual live images of the sun. Getting those the large telescopes was super cool.

We only went for the star party. The twilight and star party were both sold out. The road to the place is a narrow mountain road with switch backs. The people presenting all were very knowledgable and helpful. There were 5 telescopes set up for all to see star formations this night. The weather did get cool once sun when down. Some brought blankets which were good to lay on to look up at ALL the stars. This could be boring for little kids and you need to keep up with them with no lights or cellphones. I saw 4 shooting stars during the party. We are planning to return in the future.

We thoroughly enjoyed our time at the McDonald Observatory. The gift shop is very neat. Our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable.

After visiting the Fort Davis National Park we ran up the road to the McDonald Observatory. We did not have a lot of time so we chose the solar presentation and a self guided tour. Rachel was the presenter of the solar presentation and she was wonderful and funny! After a 30 minute presentation, we were on our own and went up to the Hobby-Eberly Telescope. The views just getting to the telescopes are wonderful and there are pull offs in the road for picture taking. Our next trip will consist of a guided tour along with a Star Party. Check your calendars, make reservations and plan accordingly.

I miss the days when the star parties were free. We would go every April. Amazing views of galaxies, planets, or the moon. You will pay 100-150 per person depending on the telescope you use. One year the hubble telescope flew over and changed position in the sky and brightly lit up the area. It was amazing. You could see it from the naked eye!

We went twice, once on the day tour and once for the "star party". Don't miss this, both are very interesting. Here are our suggestions:
1. Plan ahead, and get tickets online for the "star party", and "Twilight" event. These ALWAYS fill up, so don't count on just showing up for it. When should you go? Ideally when you will have no moon in the evening for the darkest skies. Also, take into consideration months with less cloud cover.
2. The day tour is also worthwhile, as you see the inner workings of the largest telescopes on site, as well as daytime observation of the sun through a filter. You also should buy your tickets ahead online.
3. The snack bar on site is fine, but not really something you would plan dinner around.
4. The day tour lasts 2.5 hours, the star party about 2 hours, so plan on spending the night afterwards in either Ft. Davis, or the state park.

My husband and I enjoyed the 2 o'clock tour. Judy, our tour leader, was very knowledgeable about the large telescopes. We loved learning about the new telescope being built in Chile.

One of the major attractions at the observatory is the "star parties" However, the observatory is located at the top of a dark, twisty road, so we decided to do the solar program, a 2 12 hour guided tour which is partly about the sun but also includes visits to the geodescic domes which house the Big telescopes.
First we saw the 107" Harlan-Smith scope. We witnessed how the angle of the telescope could be changed by just moving a small lever. A computer is fed the desired coordinates, the scope records the data and sends it back to the astronomer. We also learned about the Hobby-Eberly telescope, one of the world's largest, how it is fixed at 55 degrees above the horizon (to save cost) and moves with the earth's roatation.

We had limited time in the Big Bend region for an extended weekend trip. I have always wanted to come to McDonald Observatory, ever since I was a little girl and had read about it. Could I fit it in? Yes! We drove up from Alpine for the evening Star Party. I acknowledge that this is only a small part of what the observatory can offer, but wow! Our family thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and left feeling a little bit smaller in this big world/galaxy of ours. Thank you staff and volunteers for sharing your wisdom and knowledge with a lot of ignorant people! Advice for attendees: make reservations - we couldn't believe how many people were there. Bring warm clothes - you are in the mountains. If you are driving from somewhere else, be sure you give yourself enough time to drive. I thought I budgeted enough and then some, but we still cut it close. Driving in the mountains is not the same as driving in the "flatlands."

We attended one of the Star Parties with family, and it was well worth the trip. We were fortunate to have a totally clear night and no moon, which really made the star gazing excellent.

You MUST book early - tickets are limited and can sell out. We went in October and it was fairly cold and breezy - remember you are up in the Davis Mountains, not down in the Chihuahua Desert of Big Bend, so dress accordingly or you'll be miserable. If you have binoculars, bring them so you can put your newfound knowledge to use in the clearest sky you've likely ever seen.

The introductory star talk was entertaining, and the laser pointer the narrator used made it easy to see the "shapes" of the different constellations. The talk would have been better if it was balanced with some information about the many telescopes at the observatory and their different research programs. Us science geeks like to hear about that kind of stuff.

We didn't think the lines for the large telescopes were bad, and the lines for the smaller outdoor telescopes made up for it by being generally shorter. There was never any pressure to take a quick peek and move on, you could gaze as long as you liked. The gift shop is well stocked, with a balance of adult and kid themed items. A concession stand outside with hot drinks would have been appreciated.

As we were stopping in Fort Davis we decided to visit the McDonald observatory, at first I tried to book up for the 21:00 night tour, but it was fully booked. However, I managed to book up for the day tour. This is well worth doing the tour, even like me do not have any knowledge of the stars etc. Our tour guide was Monique, she was very knowledgeable in the subject and very interesting and helpful. I found it very informative and have learned a few things, will probably look up some of the documentaries when I get home. This tour has wetted my appetite.

We did all the offered programs. The solar view and tour was cool and informative. All you climate change promoters could learn a lot about how you are being played.

We had a perfect night for star viewing, no moon and it was a cloudless night. The only thing wrong was that they do not have a concession stand any longer. A hot cup of coffee would have been nice.

This is a must see in Texas. You definitely don’t see sky’s like this in Fort Worth. We did the daily tour which was a nice intro and then did the star party. When the star party started there were a lot of clouds so they were going to offer just looking at the telescopes, talks, movie inside or you could get a refund or reschedule. A lot of people ended up leaving and before we knew it the sky started to clear. We got to see the moon, Saturn, Jupiter and a few others. We also had a great view of the Milky Way. Some very informative staff members made this a very enjoyable experience and we had very little waits at all the telescopes. It was amazing! Just be sure to book in advance. The party started around 9:45 and we left close to 1am

The play area is gone so I wish there were some things geared for preschool kids. The live solar exhibit wasn’t working. But overall still a five star exhibit. My girls were eager to learn and got a lot out of the displays. Free admission to the museum area.

We got the star party tickets and arrived to the observatory with lots of expectations and let me tell you, the staff exceeded our expectations. They set up telescopes along a trail and we were able to observe different objects: Venus, Jupiter with the 4 major moons Europa, Callisto, IO and Ganymede; Saturn and its beautiful rings, a binary star system, the Ring nebulae etc. All the staff were amazing and knowledgeable with vast information to satisfy our inquiries. To top the experience, a guide made a constellations show and he identified the constellations that we were able to see in the sky. It is so good that I can't wait to travel again and visit the McDonald observatory.

Although we missed a star party and live viewing due to weather conditions, the staff did an excellent job of providing alternative activities. I learned more about the sun and space during one presentation in their comfortable auditorium than I learned in an entire semester of college. Don't miss the tour of the telescopes. The staff is very friendly and the restaurant/snack bar is top rate. It was worth the long trip and exceeded our expectations. Will be back for more in hopes of good weather for a star party!

Loved the talk on the sun, the afternoon tour and the star party. Beautiful night skies, knowledgeable guides, six stations with scopes at the star party. What a treat!! Thank you!

The night sky at McDonald Observatory was extraordinary! The day was cloudy but cleared an hour or so before the show was scheduled, so there was a good crowd there. The night-sky viewing is outdoors, so be prepared for very chilly temps. Even though it was early May, I was glad for my long down jacket with hood that I took along! After the presentation -- which was highly entertaining as well as very educational, which the kids there enjoyed, too -- there were about eight scopes available for people to circulate around and take a quick look at specific constellations. If you're interested in the night sky, this is a "Don't miss it!" place to see.

Make sure you choose a clear night! We visited here in early February. It was freezing!! Bring blankets. We had a great time. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable about the universe and very entertaining. Worth the $12/person and the chattering teeth

Wonderful educational place where great research is bieng done. I will visit again in the future. Not enough time for alln of it.

This is such a fun thing for all ages! It’s a great way to force yourself to turn off the technology and just connect. The presenter that was there on July 18th was amazing and hilarious! I learned so much and had a blast! Afterwards you get to look through some smaller telescopes which was pretty cool too. Both adults and kids loved it. The only recommendation is take some cash in case the gift shop credit card machines are down and take big spray! Other wards- just sit back and enjoy!

(My pictures were taken after it was over and we were in the parking lot leaving- not during the presentation.😁)

We have visited and done observations at Kitt Peak, Mt. Lemmon, and Mauna Kea observatories, and by far the program at McDonald is the best, with more to see and do, excellent educational displays and educational programs. Definitely recommended. Also incredibly affordable. If you visit, I recommend doing both the daytime tour and solar viewing, a Star Party and a Special viewing on the 36” if you can get those worked into your visit. At a minimum do the daytime and at least one evening program. McDonald also is the closest observatory to civilization as you can stay I quaint Fort Davis, and conveniently drive to and from the observatory in less than 30 minutes for returning to the observatory on more than one day. Highly recommended!

Definitely as bucket-list item. While we were not able to enjoy the Star Party, the several hours we spent there were extremely interesting and enjoyable. The movies we wonderful and the view of the sun was special. The tour of two of the bigger telescopes were memorable and exciting, and for an older man who enjoyed looking through his childhood telescope, I felt like a kid again, just around bigger toys.

We were there November 05 2019 for the star party and were very happy/impressed. The presentation on the moon was fascinating as was the presentation on constellations at the star party. The weather did not cooperate and it was fairly cloudy, but we did get to see the moon, Saturn and some cool stars The docents were very helpful and friendly! overall we were very impressed!

We booked the 2 p.m. Solar Viewing & Tour online ahead of time. You can check online and see how many spots are still available for the time and day you want. Our Tour started with a power point presentation in the Theatre. Martinique was our guide and she was an excellent speaker, very animated, very knowledgeable, and very good at conveying information to the adults and children. She controls a telescope on sight to give you a live image of the sun on the theatre screen. She can use her computer to move around and show you different images. We saw sun spots and plumes flaring out from the edge of the sun. We learned a lot about the sun! After the theatre presentation, we either drove our own vehicle or were transported by the provided van to the 107 inch telescope at the top of Mt. Locke. We were able to get right inside and close to the 107” and it was amazing! Being next to something that huge! The 3 children on the tour that day each got to take a turn at using the remote control to reposition the telescope. I'm sure they thought that was pretty awesome! Next we all got back into vehicles and proceeded to the Hobby-Eberly Telescope. Not as cool an experience, since there is a glass panel between you and the telescope. Of course, no viewing is done through the eyepiece on either telescope.

Excellent facility. We enjoyed the Star Party. Excellent presentations and the astronomers at the various telescopes were very knowledgeable, helpful and friendly.

A must do!!! Very informative. Lots of telescope viewing opportunity. Wonderful polite staff! Unfortunately we had cloudy skies so we did not get to experience the true mesmerizing dark skies. However, the staff was fully prepared to provide a wonderful experience with other programs offer in the theatre. My favorite was “Ask the Astronomer” I learned so must. Impressive facility.

If your travel takes you close to Fort Davis TX then this is a must-stop. Book ahead online for tickets to have a guided tour which is well worth the very low cost, as well as a presentation on our Sun with live telescope feeds of the sun's surface. Knowledgeable guides make it fun and interesting, and viewing the telescopes up close is fascinating. There are outdoor 'star parties' where numerous telescopes are set up for public viewing on certain nights, check the website for schedules, and book early. If a tour is sold out it pays to hang around and see if there are no-shows, or sometimes they open it up to a few more guests. It is a great way to spend a few hours and very educational for all ages.

When we booked this trip, we didn’t know it would be a new moon. It was the PERFECT setting for stargazing that evening. The stargazing talk at the amphitheater was a bonus to both novices & self-proclaimed experts. Most of the people running telescopes at night were personable. If you choose to being young children, please be sure they use “crowd manners”, don’t have lights on their shoes and understand the rules before you go. Also, Fort Davis restaurants typically shut down at 7:30, but the observatory’s cafe was open until 10/10:30. We also took the 11am tour and our guide, Stephen, was knowledgeable & friendly. We will definitely go back again and try to plan for another new moon night! OH! BE SURE to RESERVE your tickets for both the tour & the stargazing ahead of time so you don’t miss out.

Book your day several weeks ahead. Sign up for the insiders tour (12:30) the afternoon lecture (3:00) and the Star Party (7:15). The guides are excellent. One good piece of advice that a guide shared with us before the Star Party - view the telescopes as soon as the presenter says "you can check out the telescopes any time during my talk on the constellations". We were able to enjoy all of the telescopes without waiting in line and returned to the theater in time to hear most of the constellation narrative.

It was a cold evening, with a clear sky, and we met in the Visitor's Center with at least 80 people. We were led to the Amphitheater where we were treated with an educational and fun overview of what we were to see, and what the skies have to offer. The Star Party is not in the 36" telescope, but there were 6 telescopes in use with three of the other domed telescopes showing the birth of some stars and galaxies and the deaths of others. We thought there would be long lines at each viewing spot, but there were no more than 6 people in any line. Well worth the drive and the cold. Dress warmly for cold seasons and bring a blanket to sit on.

So much awe-inspiring beauty to see and learn about! Even though we went to the Star Party on a night with the moon almost full, we still had a wonderful time looking through telescopes to see the moon, Jupiter, Saturn and two exceptionally bright stars. We also did the daytime and twilight tours, which were also very worthwhile. Great for kids and adults, as the tours cater to both. The onsite StarDate Cafe serves very good food at reasonable prices. I highly recommend the cool and refreshingly delicious Veggie Avocado Sandwich (and I'm not even a vegetarian)!

We spent one full evening here -- an indoor presentation on the moon and stars -- then stayed on for a Star Party. We had reservations for both events, and it seems that the Star Parties fill up the fastest. They were breath-taking, especially the Star Party. They had several telescopes lined up to view stars & constellations, which the "opening act" prepped us for. We LOVED it! Another great event we attended was an afternoon tour of the facility. We learned a lot about the telescopes, the origin of the observatory, and some of the work they are currently involved in.

Second trip to the Observatory. Have been to a Star Party and a Special Viewing Night at the 107 inch telescope. A unique opportunity in West Texas! A lovely hill top setting.

We attended the Twilight indoor presentation at 5:30 pm (in November) and the 7:00 pm Star Gazing event. Both programs were excellent/highly enjoyable!!

Star Party was awesome..can be a bit cold so take appropriate layers for warmth!! College students were running the show & had a lot of info to share &show...about the stars & telescopes. Ask questions!! & check out inside info &video. Prices are Ok..might check ahead for affordability & availability.

Pathetic crowd management, lengthy queues at each telescope, and boring lectures and factual errors are additional bonus !! Would't recommend to any one. We were told there would be limited tickets for star party show, but when we went there, there was a huge crowd. It took 35 minutes to get a viewing at each Telescope. Except the two dome telescopes, the remainng telescopes are just comparable to backyard telescopes. The lady who gave the introductory lecture doesn't have any consideration for people with small kids waiting for more than 1 hour 15 min in such a cold weather, With all the money they collect they can install all dome telescopes and provide heated shelters for people waiting in queues. The lady who gave the lecture told the crowd that the telescope installed in McDonalds observatory is world's second largest, but it is 10th largest.

Don.t know why both dome telescopes were pointing to Jupitor, why can't they point one of them to Saturn or Moon.

We took the 2 pm tour and were very pleased that we did as we both learnt an awful lot from our tour guide - Rachel who clearly knew her stuff - thank you! The tour lasts just over 2 hours and represents excellent value for money - $9 per person. Sadly we weren’t able to stay for a star party but felt the day tour worth doing on its own. The tour consists of live looks at the sun and tours of 2 of the telescopes. For a little less you can do a self guided tour but I do not recommend this option - it was far more interesting having a knowledgeable guide.

My husband and I attended the star party during our visit to Ft Davis. An incredible experience!! A must for young and old alike! Be sure to take a nap because it’s a late night affair ( of course!) we are looking forward returning soon!

Even though it was a cloudy night when we went, the experience was one you shoud have to appreciate "What's out there

A great celestial experience learning about the night sky. The schedule is very well planned and balanced to accommodate for attendees' preferences. The introduction about the program is informative. The telescopes are easily accessible and the staff managing them are very informative and friendly. You can ask any question (even about the rabbit on the moon). Make sure the kids manage to have an afternoon nap, and they will really enjoy this learning experience.
In addition,
We attended the solar seminar the next day. At first I was a little apprehensive about being put in a seminar room with kids. Once the presenter started, the kids were quiet and listening. Great presenter and presentation. All live displays of the sun. There is the option to go to the telescope to see the sun, but we opted out.
Make sure you book months in advance, this place is popular.

Husband has been talking about visiting the Observatory for years. He follows them on Facebook and attends their virtual events. Finally found our way here. Like others say.....

Make reservations well in advance. They sell out fast!
Bring blankets AND warm clothes! It gets cold under the stars at night!

We did the constellation party and star party. LOVED the constellation party. They use a high powered laser pointer to show you various constellations and tell stories surrounding them. The Star Party previously was going in to the telescopes to view various objects. Thanks to COVID that's no longer an option. Instead you sit outside and watch a powerpoint presentation that includes a few live shots streamed in from the telescopes. HUGE disappointment, but NOT their fault. They are doing the best they can to open back to the public and still be safe.

We were able to catch one of the viewings on the 82 inch. I was fascinated experiencing this mechanical marvel from 1939. My wife and I were both amazed at the nebulae and clusters we saw.

These tours are small(12-15), expensive and infrequent. And worth all the trouble and expense. An incredible experience.

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to McDonald's Observatory. They have daily tours and on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday have what they call a Star Party. Both the tour and the Star Party were incredible. During the star party we were able to access 10 different telescopes for viewing various celestial objects. The ones that I got to see that impressed me the most we Saturn, the Ring Nebula and the Dumbbell Nebula. I could actually differentiate both the inner and outer rings of Saturn. Blew me away. The tour, which lasted about 2.5 hrs, started in the auditorium where the presenter pulled up a live view of the sun. We could actually see the movement of the gases and solar flairs. The tour also took us into the two large telescopes where we learned all about how they functioned. In my opinion, both the tour and the Star Party are a must. However, a word of caution, BUY YOUR TICKETS AHEAD OF TIME. This is so popular that if you just show up, odds are you won't get in.

This was definitely the highlight of my trip and I enjoyed the Star Party! It was a chance to really get a look at a REAL dark sky, nothing like the one's we see near the cities! If you want a chance to experience the Milky Way live and not in a picture, get a ticket to the Star Party!
The gift shop was very nice and filled with fun and educational items. There were a few other informational items in the visitor center itself, but not as much as I would have expected. Still, the star(no pun intended) of the show is the dark night sky!
I had planned to take pictures of the night sky but I forgot to adapt my phone ahead of time to use red light. You do not want to mess up everyone's night adaptive vision with a misplaced cell phone bright light! Don't do it! :-)
There are accommodations nearby in Ft. Davis but not much. I stayed in Alpine, but Marfa is another option for more accommodations.

We enjoyed the information and star gazing. The workers were very informative and patient with children that tend to bump the scopes. They also stayed on top of where the scope was pointed to make sure everyone could enjoy the viewings. The laser pointer used to point out constellations is awesome!

Was an unplanned visit and so glad we did. It was a completely great experience. Learning experience with lots of surprises. Heads up, it gets colder at night then you might expect. Plan accordingly.

Schedule a Star Party and hope for clear skies! Weather permitting always. Twilight Party also available. See the current sky views for the time of year. No you don't get to look through the Big Eye.

One of the most amazing experiences You can have in this world is to look at a celestial body with your own eyes! Nebula, planets, the andromeda galaxy, comets, star clusters and more! Telescopes are trained on different objects in the sky and you have the opposrunity to gaze through and ponder the mysteries of the cosmos.

Went went to the Solar Viewing and the Star Party. Had a really good time at the Solar Viewing, gut to tour several of the telescopes and got a good lay of the land for the entire facility. Sadly, the Star Party was a bust. Thick clouds that they said wouldn't blow away, so we called it an early night and went back to our hotel.

I would recommend going to both the Solar and the Star Party. We plan on giving it another try next year.

My family attended the star party. 2 teenage boys who are semi interested in stars and our solar system. The staff always does a nice job grabbing your interest. My kids enjoy it, our 4th trip and still fun. The lines for telescope viewing is long at the start of the program. Just be patient the lines and crowds dissipate as the night goes on. The staff will stick around so you can view everything. Ask questions, bring your smile, comfy shoes, warm clothes, and have fun.

The staff at McDonald Observatory were very professional and gave us an excellent tour.
I highly recommend a visit to the Observatory.

We visited the observatory with a group ages 15 to 80. The 15 year old was the most impressed and energetic of our group. However he was disappointed that many of the exhibits in the visitor center were out of order, and in bad need of repair. We did not pay for any activities, and I am sure if you attend a Star party the center is amazing on a clear night sky. We didn't want to come back so late at night, and making a reservation in advance of knowing the weather deterred us from attending. We were lucky enough to see the inside of the Hobby-Eberly, and when we were there they were re-positioning it, which was super cool to watch. As a free exhibit it was well worth the time spent visiting. The views and drive up were fantastic. Some people in our party have attended the star parties in the past and fully enjoyed them.

After driving through fog all day, we hiked in the state park at Fort Davis and could see clear skies over the observatory. We joined the star party— it was fabulous. A tour of the night sky (with an amazing pointer), and views through telescopes at a nebula, complex star, and constellation. It was, um, chilly, so bring hats, gloves, and blankets if you’re going in the winter. If you need to though, you can go inside and hang out or buy a hot drink.

While we were staying at the Davis Mountains Campground we wandered over to the observatory. One telescope or the building was under construction. We were disappointed to learn that without booking i advance we were on a self guided tour. The tour led us nowhere other than to watch a video. The views from the top of that mountain were spectacular. That made it worth the trip for us.

We attended one of the observatory's famous Star Parties and spent a fun evening gazing up into the clear, dark west Texas sky. For city dwellers like us, the gleaming web of stars was breathtaking, and the astronomer giving the talk was funny and full of interesting info. We learned all about stars, constellations, and our galaxy. After that, we got to gaze into some of the telescopes and get up close and personal with the Milky Way. There's also a nice gift shop and a little cafe where you can grab a snack or a coffee or hot chocolate to take outside with you—a good idea on a chilly evening! Speaking of which, if you're visiting in the winter, like we did, dress warmly and consider bringing a blanket to sit on. The stone benches get chilly!

We did the talk about the sun and the tour. We were not able to see the live view of the sun due to winds but we saw a recent photo. The talk was fascinating and we learned a lot about the sun and other stars. We took the tour and got to see two telescopes which was awesome. It was so interesting to hear about the astronomers and all their research. It’s remote but totally worth the drive.

With talk of the lunar eclipse we said “hey let’s head west and go to that observatory we know is there.” And off we went to the Saturday eve Star Party. It was cold. We were warned. But it was awesome even though the night a bit bright. The host/party leader for the night was funny and so informative. And we got to get up close with some telescopes. Our 13 year has new found fascination with the sky above. Instead of usual souvenir swag in gift shop she picked out book on constellations!! We bought tickets in advance which is a must as it was indeed sold out at the door. Small exhibit inside just right to get observatory history and other fun facts. Highly recommend!! And what’s not to like when your child can point up to the Betelgeuse Star and the eventual supernova??

We came for the solar party and tour and for the star party. The solar party was an approximate 1 hour talk on the sun. My husband did not come with my son and I and we have been bombarding him with facts about the sun for two days now. We then went our a tour of the two larger telescopes. It was worth every minute spent.

There is some walking uphill, but the observatory does have a shuttle for 15 folks that might have issue with it. And in the 107 in telescope there is an elevator for those that want to avoid the stairs.

We had time to run back to Marfa for dinner and make it back to the Star party. It was nice in Marfa so we scoffed at needing our jackets. We were wrong, it was much cooler on the mountain after the sun went down. The folks behind us had brought a blanket to sit on as well and I thought they were pretty smart.

My 14 year old did not want to sit through the constallation talk, he wanted to get right to the telescopes. That worked in our favor, as the lines were really small. Once the show portion let out, the line were long. (We were there on a night that the star party had sold out).

We will be coming back - so I can see the constallation show and do a special viewing night.

If you have any interest in astronomy, or are just a curious person, an evening program looking through one of the telescopes is something you'll never forget. Fascinating lecture and views of the night skies. Just go.

Although we could not see the night sky, the lectures were great learning experience. Museum was amazing with interesting facts.

Yes we were disappointed we were “clouded out” but the place is impressive in and of itself. Due to the clouds they did give us s refund. Classy move. Would we go back? Yes.

Easily the best observatory that we’ve ever visited. They do an OUTSTANDING job of showing their scientific mission in a way that’s digestible to both engineers and to non-scientific people. Join them for one of their many programs. You WILL NOT be disappointed. Best night sky in the “lower 48”.

Star party was really cool. Very knowledgeable staff and incredible equipment. Stars at night are big and bright deep in the heart of Texas. If you are in the area it is worth a look. Make reservations well in advance, they only do this program a few days a week.

Awesome time Star Party fabulous info from knowlegeable staff. She pointed out constellations, answered questions & gave interesting information about the stars & planets & telescopes. Staff assisted us all taking turns looking through telescopes. It was cold but a very starry night we absolutely loved our experience!

Discovered this observatory two years ago, tried to get tickets for the “Star Party” which sounded like fun and educational. Purchased tickets in advance this time. It was a cold night, better clothing would have helped. Bring a blanket too. You will spend two hours in a open amphitheater sitting on stone. At 28 degrees, that was a challenge. The presenter was good but his laser pointer didn’t work, no one checks them in advance?? The crowd was huge, about 300. After his talk you walked around from telescope to telescope. We spent way too much time standing on lines freezing. The volunteers did a excellent job.
Lots of kinds and children crying (this is not a young child event!). A major disappointment since we traveled so far just to attend. They also showed a ridiculous, useless movie every 15 minutes inside. Went to view it just to get warm. We left really disappointed.

We really enjoyed the star party. One warning - lines are long for the various telescopes and there is no place to sit while in line. If you are not able to stand for long periods of time get one person to hold your spot in line and sit on a wall or bench (if there is one).

We missed the star party, as it was already full, but we enjoyed visiting the facility. This is a don't miss attraction in the Davis Mountains.

We traveled to Big Bend area specifically for the Observatory. We were NOT disappointed. Outstanding facility. We took part in all the special sessions they offered. Solar viewing in the early afternoon was our least favorite but happy we did it.

For sure do the tour of telescopes that follow the solar viewing. It’s during the day and the telescopes are massive and impressive as well as the view!

The Star party late night is where the action is. Night sky is incredible and the knowledge level of every astronomer is as vast as the night sky. Don’t be daunted by the crowds when you arrive. They do a good job of letting you view the stars even with the large group.

Very well done visitor center and campus. Even Aggies will be impressed by what UT has done in far west Texas.

A nice trip with nice people but the main event is the Star party on tues,Thu, sat. Unfortunately too cold for me in Jan.
The solar view is a good trip around the facility but a little dry compared to the main event. We will return

First night star party was rained out. Second night 36” telescope viewing lasted about half of the allotted time due to weather conditions. Our host was wonderful and worked very hard to insure we all had the optimum experience. Would definitely go back, weather in Texas is unpredictable and inspire of it I never saw so many stars, planets and the Milky Way!

Do the evening shows!!! The star show and the virtual telescope event were amazing! Please do not stop at just the visitor’s center and museum, stay the evening in Davis Mountains State Park, it is well worth it! The museum is not all working and not what you should review, wait until the stars come out...nature is the stardom!

The McDonald Observatory (University of Texas at Austin) at Fort Davis is an incredible facility. The daytime tour (2.5 hours) of this world renown observatory was our favorite activity. The tour leader was a great communicator and educator. We were able to see several of the large telescopes in action and hear their stories. We also enjoyed the Star Party at night, but the daytime tour is the best part. This observatory is well worth the time and effort it takes to get to a place that has a minimum of light pollution. The clear night skies offer unforgettable views.

Wonderful views through the telescope with very informative guides. Plenty of helpful staff. Great program about the constellations.

We booked a 2,5h daytime tour not knowing if we were going to enjoy it, however it exceeded out expectations. Our guide, Rachel, was very knowledgeable and a great speaker/story-teller. It is a very interactive tour which begins in a theater with a live image of the sun and continues with the guide taking you to see 2 telescopes. We learned A LOT and would recommend the McDonald Observatory to anyone visiting the area, or anyone interested in astronomy.

We didn't have reservations.... but we got in on the video talk and guided tour. Our guide was Martinique.... she was fabulous! She had a keenly developed, comedic flair and was highly informed. The gift shop was nice, too! We went back the next day to do the hands-on exhibits and the Scenic Loop, again! Because we are old.... we were allowed to ride the shuttle to the different telescopes. The star gazing is great, too... get reservations!

Disappointed with general admission. Don’t waste your money. Just drive around the grounds. The exhibit is closed inside for a ‘redo’, although no one appeared to be working on it and everything was covered with plastic like Covid times. The only activity is the gift shop. You cannot go inside the historic telescope building. (Large white telescope) You can go in the second white building, but not upstairs. Nothing much to see there. An antiquated monitor with old videos. You can go in the silver building and see the side of the equipment. 5 minutes max covers it. They limit tickets sold, so it is difficult to get tickets for a guided tour or the sky party even if purchasing two months in advance.

The guided tour was excellent..But I’m still upset that there was no mechanism to fill unused spots at the star party… so disappointing.

We attended the Star Party on a Saturday/ It was excellent. The people who were presenting were exceptional and very knowledgeable in the celestial sky, Make sure you dress warmly, it get's cold.

Attended special viewing Jan 25, Struve 82" telescope, only available few times a year and for small groups. Thrill of a lifetime without a doubt. We saw 11 celestial objects accompanied by eloquent narration by volunteer astronomers. Jan 26th, attended open air star party. Both nights exceptionally clear with no moon and no atmospheric disturbance, but colder than a brass monkey. Absolutely stunning scenery as you drive to observatory. Location is way out there and takes some planning, especially if you plan to stay overnight as nearby lodging is scarce and in high demand. Go for it; highly recommended without any reservation; un- forgettable memories that help you connect with the grand scheme of things.

Just take you and your family here, especially if you have kiddos! This is something our family has experienced for years and we would not ever miss this opportunity..no way !
The Museum itself is very educational, the staff knowledgeable of course and the range of telescopes they use outside for the Star Party is unbelievable. We could not thank each and every person there who was using their own telescope equipment to give us such an up close and personal view of the stars a million miles away. We were seeing star clusters that were more than 25,000 light years away - just think about that!

This is an excellent place to see but not during spring break!! I purchased tickets to the star party held at night thinking it would be a minimal group size hence the tickets, but when we attended there were close to 900 people. Too many people to see anything or do anything like looking though a telescope. We left - so much for wasting my money for a ticket!! Not going back again!

An excellent tour of the constellations and our first view of the milky way. The sky is remarkably dark and the program hosts were witty and entertaining while being informative. They certainly knew the stars and gave a remarkable insight to the history of the earth and its positions in the sky. Seeing Jupiter and Saturn as live projections from one of their telescopes was fascinating. But do bring something to keep you warm. It was August 26 and the evening was clear, but the breeze and the temperature drop did make things feel just a touch chilly for most of us. Other times of the year, it would certainly verge on cold or even frosty. But still worth the drive.

I would never have known about public access to the McDonald Observatory had I not gone online to do massive research about what to do in West Texas while planning a trip to Big Bend. It does not seem to be well advertised for travelers outside of TX, but should be. Especially to those heading to Big Bend. They are the perfect customers for this type of adventure. It was an easy and interesting drive out to Ft. Davis and into the mountains from where we were staying in Alpine, and a treat to see the domes of the telescopes reflecting the setting sun from afar. Directions to the actual observatory were easy to follow, too. Our timing was such that we could only manage to visit after normal hours for the Twilight Program and the Star Party so did not get a thorough daytime tour. When we first arrived the main entrance to the visitor's center was closed, but we truly appreciated that the Cafe remained open. This should be advertised more, too. It is a cute and functional little cafe and glorious to sit out on the patio under the sky. Once the center opened to take our tickets it was nice to be able to wander through the exhibit area and the gift shop, which was also a pleasant surprise. Lots of good stuff. The perfect place to shop for the astronomer in your life. Suggestion: you should have an online shopping option since there was not enough time to see it all and the selection was topnotch for those looking for gifts for science nerds. As for the programming, we started with the Twilight program about the moon. It was well-done and well-paced but a bit too elemental for some of the adults in the audience and a bit too long for the younger set who lost interest after about 30 minutes. At one point I had to put my teacher hat on and corral the kids in front of me who were being so loud and disruptive that I could not hear. Could the program be offered in segments in order to meet all needs? The Star Party was informative, too. I know much about the night sky, but it was cool to learn even more up close and personal. I was disappointed that the lines to get to the telescopes after the general program were rather long. I also wish there was a way to mark what telescopes are focused on what objects. I stood in one long line thinking I would see a lunar landscape only to discover that the 'scope was looking at Orion. Still, it was a great experience, especially for those who do not live under a dark sky. It would be wonderful, however, to have advanced programs for those of us that do.

WEet to a January Star party and it was terribly cold! They had about 6-8 telescopes set up that were awesome!

If you haven’t been here, then you need to go. We went to the solar viewing which was very educational. A tour of the large telescopes was included. The Star Party was awesome! The sky was amazing! You could literally see every star in the sky and see satellites pass overhead every few minutes. The speaker was great in pointing out planets and constellations. Afterwards we got to look through some high power telescopes. We will definitely be back again.

Now if you want to go stargazing this is the place for you. It has the darkest skies in the US and hosting stargazing parties weekly. There is a museum, cafe, and gift shop to explore. The museum is not large but enough hands on time for the kids to be occupied for 30-45 minutes. The gift shop has an extensive selection of astronomy goods from t-shirts, socks, playing cards, books, puzzles, to more unusual items model kits, etc as well. The cafe as indoor and outdoor seating with a selection of goods from a snack of chips and cookies to a sandwich and soda. The observatory is about 3 hours from El Paso, 2 hours from Midland and the drive is down right scenic all the way. Wild life abounds! The McDonald Observatory is handicap accessible and easy to navigate in and around if wheelchair bound. So everyone go see the stars you won't be disappointed!

This observatory is a real gem. It is in a beautiful location. There is a nice self - guided museum that explains some astronomy fundamentals as well as the work some of the staff are doing. We took the short guided tour, as it is the only way to see the 107" telescope. It was very informative. We also peeked in at the newest telescope under construction. Amazing stuff. If you are a science person and find yourself in this rather remote part of Texas (we were hiking in Big Bend during spring break), a visit here won't disappoint.

We make every effort to stop at the McDonald Observatory for their The STAR Party on our way back to Florida from our West Coast holiday and ski trip.

For at least 10 years now we have been blessed with excellent luck as the skies have always been clear and the stars ever brighter each year. You sit in a large round amphitheater on top of the hill as the University of Texas Astronomy Professor shares all kinds of interesting information about several stars and constellations. Orion’s Belt is one of my favorites – it’s where new stars are formed – but the truth is -- it is one of a few star formations that I can recognize on my own!

After the STAR Party presentation in the amphitheater, you’ll walk a short distance down the hill via a specially lit cement path to several telescopes where you’ll see some unbelievable stars and planets – like Saturn, which was unbelievable!!!

Special Tips:
1. Make advance Reservations online for the STAR Party
2. If you go in cold weather, dress warmly! Can’t emphasize this enuf! We wear our ski clothes AND bring a blanket or at least a cushion to sit on.

They have a pretty darn good snack Bbr with sandwiches, hot dogs. Hot soup and chili etc and Hot Coffee & Cocoa that will help warm you before and during the STAR Party -- you can bring it up to the amphitheater.

The Gift Shop is very cool with lots of educational and fun items for kids. Pretty neat T-shirts too! Astronaut ice cream is available for purchase and it’s rather tasty!

Don’t forget to watch the “Power of 10” movie at the inside theater – very interesting whether it’s the first time you watch it -- or the 10th time you watch it!

Paid for evening Star Party. The constellation presentation was somewhat interesting. What we seen through the telescopes was meh at best. Seemed over booked to me. You had to wait in line too long for each telescope then when it was your turn, you felt rushed since so many were waiting behind you. I did however enjoy seeing the night sky with very little light pollution, but honestly, we could have done that at any nearby overlook. Not worth the cost IMHO

The narrator for the Evening Star Show made all the difference. He explained a lot and made the program both interesting and informative.

What a great place to visit. Well-maintained informational beautiful scenery. Friendly staff.Reservations required

Really good, informative program. Very helpful , excellent staff. This is a jewel of Texas and well worth the effort to go. The Star Party was everything I hoped it would be. We went last Saturday night during a new moon, which I recommend, so the sky was dark. The telescopes were awesome as was the staff for them. We saw Mars, Venus, Jupiter and 2 moons. Saturn and 2 moons were clear and beautiful. Then M4, Ring nebula, and albireo. Fantastic!.Then a review of the constellations. The sun program and telescope tour the next day was very good as well. I recommend going at a new moon. All were sold out, I got tickets a few months ago. Be sure and go the the observatory website and buy tickets in advance to all programs. A must I think if you want to see this. Good for older children and teens.

We here for the week night viewing and it was a very informative
The inside display was ok but needs updating. Unfortunately it was a cloudy night so we saw the star presentation 1st and the actual telescope viewing after. We could only see a few things because of the clouds. Also there were 250 people so the lines were long and delayed because of the clouds.

Make sure you check the opening times as we and others got there a bit to early but we enjoyed just wandering around. The visitors Centre is fantastic, so much information beautifully presented. You can drive up to the observatory and the views are magnificent.

learned a lot at the star party, it was FUN. So dark out there, it is amazing. Staff was super friendly and very accomedating

Took the grandkids to a Starlight program during the /Christmas holidays. Thoughly enjoyed the experience

Fantastic drive. Wonderful visitors center with hands on astronomy demonstrations. Guided tours of the telescopes. Star gazing events. A special place.

Take the guided tour for lots of interesting facts and inside tours of huge telescopes. They have star parties on certain nights as well.

We attended a star party one evening, and our experience was phenomenal. It was partly cloudy, which was unfortunate, but the experience was still completely worth it. We attended a virtual viewing in the theater that pointed out with incredible photos some of the sights we might see, then went outside and looked through the telescopes at Saturn, the Andromeda Galaxy, and some other constellations. Additionally, I have never in my life had such an amazing view of the Milky Way and what appeared to be a blanket of stars across the sky with just my eyes. The entire staff was helpful, knowledgeable, and friendly. If this was Plan B for cloudy nights, I can’t even imagine how spectacular a clear night would be. I guess I will have to go back to find out. I completely recommend this experience.

Go out of your way to see this tour. Up close and personal observation of two large telescopes. We went on the day time tour and learned about the Sun. Very Educational and informative. The views from this place are worth the drive alone. Next time I will book the night time tour.

Fort Davis was a great family vacation destination, and McDonald Observatory was the main attraction. The staff are all dedicated people who are happy to share their passion and knowledge with you. Plan ahead and reserve a spot early if you want to do one of the activities (if you schedule and cannot make it, also be sure to cancel since seats are limited). It is a nice place to drive or ride out to even if you don't do an activity.

We attended an evening star party in lat November. Clear, cool (almost cold) night with no moon. The information part of the event was very informative and the telescope viewing was outstanding. The “star” of the show is the view of the sky in this remote location with no light pollution from city or other lights. We were glad we took the time to attend and would say it is worth a special trip to visit!

I went to two Star Parties here on back-to-back nights; my wife went to just one because it was cold. The amphitheater there hosts fine talks, nightly I think, about what one sees in the sky. The speakers were different on the two nights. The content was similar on those two nights because, well, the sky was basically the same two nights in a row. But the talks had interesting differences. Anytime I can get to West Texas I will, for 100%, return here. It is fun, interesting, and beautiful.

Unfortunately the Star Party night we went was cloudy & had some rain. They offered refunds but since we were only able to go that night we went anyway. They made t enjoyable & educational even though the star gazing didn't happen. If we get out west again we will definitely try again. They do daily tours but the Star Parties are only Tues, Thur & Fri nights

We booked tickets a few months in advance for the guided sky viewing and the star party. We had tickets for an earlier day, but we’re rained out and the observatory proactively helped us reschedule for a later time. There program is late for little kids, but we brought blankets and our toddler was soon asleep. The guided viewing is in the outdoor amphitheater starting with the brightest stars and progressing to the Milky Way as the sky got darker. The star party was next to the visitor center viewing a projection of what the observatory’s telescope is seeing. It was educational and very interesting.

The daytime tours of the giant telescopes and the information provided is fantatic.
But the night program "Star Gaze" is wonderful!!!
We were fortunate to have a clear night sky, so the viewing of the stars via telescopes and by naked eye was something I have never experienced. You are many miles from artificial light, so the stars and planets are brilliant!
Instructors and staff members were top notch!!! Worth the time , worth the stop!!

We visited (family, ages 9 and 12) during spring break and tried to attend the star party. The clouds just would not blow off. We still went and ate a small supper (BBQ sandwich and chips) and crossed our fingers. At start of party it still did not clear, and they offered other programs in place of star viewing. Or, a refund/reschedule. We chose a refund, and it all went smoothly. The alternative programs sounded interesting, but not to my 9 and 12 year old. We decided to just get a refund and try again on a future trip out west. From what I could tell, it would have been great, if not for the clouds, that's why still giving an excellent review.

Tours and star party are a must. A truly unique and awe inspiring place, even though run by t.u. :) Tour guides were excellent. Night star party was amazing...being able to see so many stars...

Did the tour that included an educational presentation and close up of two telescopes. Rachel was a great presenter, so knowledgeable and good sense of humor. Was easy to tell she is passionate about astronomy. Wish we had visited when our children were in middle/high school. This is a must when out in this part of Texas.

It was a dark and cool night. No moon, lots of stars, enjoyable guy to get us oriented, hot chocolate to warm the body, and a plethora of telescopes through which to peek and observe stars, galaxies, and the night sky.

Saturday night. We really enjoyed the Star party and really appreciated the staff's earnestness to adapt the evening to accommodate area storms. We enjoyed looking through all of the different telescopes at the moon, Saturn, and various star clusters. The staff was very helpful. We also appreciated the dark sky and the ability to see so many stars and even a few satellites.

The Star party is definitely worth the $25.

Adults should find this place interesting, and this place should be a must do for kids - 12 year old grandson found it very interesting.
Some suggestions:
- Get tickets online ahead of time/don't just show up. Plan and try to go when there will be no moon and no cloud cover.
- At least take a windbreaker jacket, as it can get rather cool at night, even in the summer.
- Take the time to sit in the ampitheater and listen to the presentation - it provides great perspective.
- The star party starts late, so you might want to plan on spending the night in the Ft. Davis area.
- Be aware that the on site snack bar is ok - good, not great.

Great observatory. We had a wonderful guide. She was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic. We were not able to go to the night sky party but went during the day to see the solar video. it was really interesting.

You don't have to be a star gazer to appreciate the observatory. The shear location and beauty are worth the trip. The history of it's establishment and growth is also very interesting.

My daughter had planned a Star Party for us and we got very lucky. The clouds and storms cleared and it was an amazing evening. Go during new moon and you will see so much more.

Three of us went to the 2PM Solar Viewing & Tour, 6:45PM Twilight Program, and 8:15PM Star Party. WOW! So much information and so little time to absorb it all. We thoroughly enjoyed Shannon with 2 1/2 hours non-stop explanations of happenings on the sun and then the tours of the amazing telescopes. The twilight and star party were narrated by Kevin (I think). Also, very knowledgeable and both men extremely witty along with their expert knowledge. The 10 minute video Power of 10 was awesome. AND the view of Saturn was great. I would love to go again.

We went during the day because the weather was going to be bad that night. Alf of the interactive exhibits were not working. Disappointing

We were a bit spontaneous and luckily able to book the day before, for the day trip. Our young kids gobbled every morsel of information our guide, Christina, had discussed. She started with explanations about the sun (with a short presentation explaining the importance of some of the on-site research being conducted there) and later shuttled us to the telescopes, all the while filling us with information. Our guide had an unusual knack of capturing everyone's attention and interests, ranging from the oldest to the toddler.. Often engaging the group with curiosity, humor and easy to follow explanations. In addition to the facts we learned about space, the sun and telescopes, she shared the serendipidous history of how the observatory came to be, and we had a guest astronomer speak with us. Wonderfully inspiring! We hope to be back for a star party. It was an exceptional visit which we highly recommend!

The star party was awesome! We have never seen so many stars and there were so many telescopes to look through after the program. It was so informative and fun.

I’m glad we went, because otherwise I would think we had missed out. However, our visit was honestly not the awe-inspiring experience I’d expected. First, if you go be prepared for the night time temperatures on the windy mountain top to be far colder than you may be prepping for during the rest of your trip to the area. Second, the sound system wasn’t working properly so it was difficult to hear the presenter. Third, I just didn’t find the content of his comments to be that unique - he pointed out various constellations, a couple of planets, and the North Star with a laser that was difficult to see - maybe I would have been more engaged if I hadn’t been huddled under a comforter and the sound had been better. Fourth, after time in the amphitheater, the crowd makes their way to look through 5 telescopes - that required stumbling through the dark to wait in lines in the freezing cold. We jumped in a line for, what we soon realized was, a small telescope. I couldn’t see the two distant galaxies it was supposed to be focused on - it was like The Emperor’s New Clothes with everyone exclaiming with wonder. We’d had enough and left without waiting for the larger telescopes. So, if you go, dress warmly and leave the amphitheater early to look through the telescopes before the rest of the audience is dismissed. It would be nice if the Observatory split the audience into two groups - directing half to the telescopes while the other half did the amphitheater then switching. We did enjoy the exhibits inside the Observatory before the Star Party.

The 11am tour is a solid 2 hour tour that begins in the new visitor's center with a great presentation of solar viewing with real time views of the sun along with great explanations from Christina regarding the sun's surface & effect on the Earth. We loaded a shuttle bus which took us to 2 of the observatories. Even if you are not an astronomer, you will find the tour very entertaining. Well worth the stop.

We had often wondered what was at the complex so we swung by on a trip from Phoenix to San Antonio. They offer at 2 1/2 hour tour, visiting two large telescopes. Our tpur started at 2 p.m., and you can check the web site for times. The tour was excellent, informative, and worth the time, neither was it very strenuous. Also a gift shop and small snack bar. We stayed in Ft Davis overnight.

"Star party" was awesome! Unbelievable views through telescopes managed by highly informative staff whose love of astronomy comes through. I learned so much about stars and will not look at the night sky in the same way. This is a beautiful center that's very well maintained. Great for families. Pictures are from before the start of the show.

We had tickets for the Star Party but wanted to see the observatory grounds during the day. They offer guided tours 2x per day but also have a pamphlet that allows you to do a self-guided tour. We drove throughout the accessible areas of the property which has incredible views. The Mount Locke Summit is one of the highest, accessible areas in the state. There is a nice display in the Frank N, Bash Visitors' center as well as a gift store and cafe.

Star Party
Offered 3x a week on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday. It starts at 7:30pm in the outside amphitheater under the stars in the dark where the only lights are the red lamps at the base of the concrete benches. There is a lecture about how the star viewing will proceed, a short piece about light pollution and then an introduction to the stars and constellations that uses a green laser pointer. It took about 40 minutes- the time that our eyes need to adapt to the dark. Once the lecture was over we proceeded to the 6 telescopes that were set up and got to view some incredible close-ups of stars and the moon- each telescope had a different subject. There were about 150 people in attendance but the lines moved very quickly with waits of only 5 minutes or less.
We were there on one of the coldest nights of the year. It was in the 20's. Many people brought blankets to cover the concrete benches and their laps. My husband and I wore thermal underwear, gloves, hats and heavy coats. We were still cold but it was tolerable. We were lucky - there wasn’t a cloud in the sky.
The observatory is a 15-20 minute trip up the mountain from Indian Lodge where we were staying,. We headed out early and grabbed a light dinner at the Star Gate cafe which is inside the Visitors center where attendees gather waiting for the "party" to begin. We purchased our tickets online a month ahead of our trip. There is no wifi available.

Absolutely worth the trip if you like science and stars. We traveled with our teenage grandchildren and they absolutely loved it! The astronomers are extremely friendly and knowledgeable (of course). We booked the day tour and then the star party. Highly recommend these to get the most out of your trip.

The road is not steep or dangerous. There is parking and handicap spaces in the lot. Restrooms and all exhibits are wheelchair accessible. I saw wheelchairs I line for telescopes but did not see how they accommodated the view in the eyepiece. Star gazing started about 8:30 pm with restroom access until 10:30. It was wonderful and crowded on a Tuesday night. Buy tickets in advance. If you don't make it they hold them.... forever she said. I did not make it for 3 months and they had me in their system.
I loved it there at night. So beautiful and peaceful.

We were at Big Bend National Park, and decided to drive here for the Saturday night Star Party (we also did the Twilight Party). Both were great!

We checked in to the Indian Lodge at Davis Mountains State Park, and drove the 30 mins to the McDonald Observatory to have dinner at the Star Date Cafe before the Twilight Party started at 8:00 PM. The food was OK, but we probably should have gone to have dinner in town instead.

The Twilight Party was very kid-friendly, where the staff pulled kids from the audience to play the planets. It was hands-on and interactive, and very informational.

But the best part was the Star Party, even though we started the evening with cloud cover. The clouds dissipated enough for us to see Mercury and Mars on the western skies, Jupiter in the south, and eventually some constellations. After the amphitheater intro, we were able to walk down to the telescope park, and viewed the different items of interest each telescope was pointing to. The best was seeing Jupiter and the 4 moons, followed by seeing Saturn and its rings--the rings were diagonal! Literally out of this world experiences!

Would highly encourage everyone to go and attend the parties.

Star gazing was great the gentleman sharing the information was very knowledgeable and kept us entertained and informed. Especially enjoyed viewing the different items in space through the telescopes! Price seemed a little much for experience though.

I attended both the Twilight Program and the Star Party last weekend. There are a few things you should know if you attend the evening programs. First, it can be colder and windier up at the observatory than down in Ft Davis, so bring a sweater or windbreaker along. The Twilight Program is really geared for younger children, so if that is not your cup of tea, you can skip. However, I did learn a few new facts despite this younger orientation, and it was well-done. The Star Party was a mixed bag. As the sky darkened, the leader gave a constellation talk. Just sitting under the huge canopy of stars was wonderful. It was interesting when he used the laser pointer to direct our attention to different stars and planets. Warning: we had very clear skies, and no moon, so visibility was terrific. No guarantee that your view will be as good. When the program shifted into telescope mode, it was a challenge. Long lines for all stations. Wait in line for 15 minutes to get a glimpse at something that still looks like a smudge or spot, even with their strong telescopes. Do not expect amazing Hubble-like views, folks. If you bring a younger child to this program, I cannot imagine that they would be impressed. Even viewing Jupiter was surprisingly unimpressive. We have been spoiled by the fantastic pictures we see on the Internet. Viewing stellar/planetary phenomena through a telescope is not impressive or exciting for many of us.

As empty nesters we have every other Christmas alone. We took a trip this year, our first stop was the observatory. The tour was amazing, very fascinating. Our tour guide was great. She was very entertaining and engaging. This place is a must see. If you are in the area don’t miss it.

Be prepared. The sky viewing and star party are two very different things. I purchased the sky viewing for our family. It IS A JOKE. WASTE OF MONEY. you can sit under the stars in big bend for free....its just a man up there making jokes and telling you about constellations. obviously, people go because they expect to see out of the telescopes and images.....and because of covid you do not get any of that....unless you do the star party they have a camera and project the images on a screen. Anyone, can google the pictures. I would say it was a big disappointment. SAVE YOUR MONEY.

Family of six including two young girls spent a gorgeous night here and thanks to tickets purchased months ago (!), we heard the preliminary lecture and then the stories of some of the galaxies. The latter held outside on concrete benches in about 30 degree weather. The program ended with telescope viewings at seven different locations!
This was a wonderful and rewarding visit for all of us. Certainly worth the trip to Fort Davis!!

We checked the website frequently on cancelations the day there was a Star Party. Fortunately there was 1 cancelation that we immediately booked online($12,- pp). When we arrived the friendly staff also frequently checked for us on cancelations and that resulted in having a second ticket($15,- at the door pp) for the star party that evening. After the introduction you're able to look through at least 7 telescopes, with friendly staff at each telescope to tell you what you're looking at. There's also a presentation and a small film playing on a constant loop in the Visitor Centre.
The star party takes place in the Frank N. Bash Visitors Centre.
We had a nice evening and do recommend the Star Party!

Went to the star party and enjoyed it but it was disorganized. When you got in line to see through a scope you didn’t know what you were going to be looking at. Lots of waiting in line.
We had come early to visit but there isn’t a lot in the visitor center. Really more an area for researchers.

Absolutely an amazing experience. The staff were so knowledgeable and excited about sharing their passion for astronomy! Saw beautiful views of the surface of our moon as well as the Andromeda galaxy, the Ring Nebula, and additional galaxies in the Milky Way Galaxy.

I was a bit disappointed as I had hoped we would be able to view the sky from the super huge Hobby-Eberly telescope but guess my 9th grade astronomy class doesn’t qualify for entry😁. However, we were very pleased with the whole program and learned a lot. I personally enjoyed the information provided by our outside hostess at the telescope park. The weather was great and the sky did not disappoint. The cost was very reasonable especially considering what your fees provide for the facility. I had overheard some younger folks talking about how to sneak in, which was upsetting to me and I hope the facility cranks up the outside check-in process to prevent this.
One last note, the gift shop is great, make sure to stop in.

Amazing time at the star party last night! You are so far out in the middle of nowhere and being so high up, the stars are incredible! (Providing the clouds are on your side).
It starts at 8:45 and ends at 10:45. They talk about and point out constellations and there were 7 telescopes set up to view various celestial bodies. I believe they change depending on what’s looking good that time of year but we got to see Mars, Saturn, Jupiter and it’s moons, globular clusters, the Andromeda galaxy and more! Really a beautiful experience!

Attend a star party on a new moon night! It is an unforgettable experience!!! Not to be missed, no matter where you live.

An enjoyable evening. The constellation talk was a little too quick...it was quite tricky to follow the laser pen across the sky at times but it was very informative nevertheless. The queues for the telescopes were long and we didn’t wait to see all of them. I would recommend visiting but be prepared for crowds.

The observatory offered everything I expected. We had better weather than I could have hoped for. The presentation was very informative and do in a humorous manner. Getting to look through the telescopes was a great experience.

Great star gazing experience. It would have been great to at least tour the big telescopes, but the visitor center is quite a distance form the actual big telescope, and that was not an option.

We loved our 2.5 hour guided tour!!! You must make your reservation in advance as they sell out They also have night time star parties that you need to reserve in advance. If just driving through, still worth the stop. They have a tiny visitor center but for a small fee they will give you a map and you can drive up near the telescopes. Joe was an awesome guide!!! Great views from up there!!!

We didn't get the real Star Party experience due to cloudy skies....however, staff had backup plans and we were educated on some of the telescopes and the general nature of the work done here by the University of Texas...6800 feet is an unusual treat in Texas....great respite from the summer heat....the facilities are well maintained and staff are friendly and informative....

While in the Fort Davis area, we were able to attend the "Star Party" with our 7 year old grandson. What a wonderful experience. The staff and volunteers had prepared about 20 different telescopes, pre-aligned to certain celestial bodies. We were able to look through each and the staff member gave us information on what we were seeing. The grandson loved it and the grandparents had a great time.

Always wanted to do a Star Party and checked off the bucket list. Party started at 9;45 pm. The sky was kinda cloudy but the sky opened up and the stars came out. Got to see meteors, International Space Station and lots of constellations. We had our 6 and 10 year old grandchildren with and they really liked it. They even got to look through a few telescopes.

Take a quilt to sit on and bring a jacket.