McDonald Observatory is located 450 miles west of Austin, in the Central Time Zone.
Programs are subject to capacity limits. We recommend making reservations at least three weeks before your visit. Programs may be cancelled due to weather or other issues. Learn more about public programs on our Visit page.
The reservation system automatically includes one adult pass in your booking, which can be set to zero if it is not needed (for example, if you are booking discounted tickets). Tickets are required for all visitors, including children of any age. For the safety of all guests, minors must be accompanied by an adult on all programs. Contact reservations@mcdonaldobservatory.org with any questions you may have.