Comments
and Questions
We've tried to include practically any information you might need
to plan your visit to the McDonald Observatory in the other pages
of our site. But, hey, we're not perfect (as
much as some of us like to think so)... so here are some questions
that people frequently ask that you may be wondering about as
well. Before emailing us with your question, check the list below
to see if your question hasn't already been answered here. If you
still can't find the information you need, please feel free to contact
us.
McDonald Observatory Visitors Center
3640 Dark Sky Drive
McDonald Observatory, TX 79734
This address works for delivery purposes (sometimes), but may not be available for various mapping services.
(432) 426-3640
Email
the Visitors Center
Frequently Asked
Questions Answers to the FAQs
What are
your recommendations for places to stay while visiting McDonald
Observatory?
An up-to-date listing of all accommodations in the Fort Davis area is available through the Fort Davis Chamber
of Commerce web site.
Are
Star Parties canceled on cloudy or rainy nights?
No, Star Parties are held rain or shi ... er ... well ... clear skies. If it's too cloudy/rainy/windy/dusty/humid (we get strange weather up here sometimes) to do our observing, we conduct indoor programs instead. These can include, but are not limited to, "virtual" Moon tours, spectroscopy demonstrations (an activity designed to give our visitors a better understanding of how astronomers learn about the universe), "virtual" solar system tours, presentations on satellite viewing, etc. Occasionally, research astronomers will join us to provide talks on their current research programs. Because we have such a wide array of interesting, educational programs to present on these nights, your Star Party passes are not refundable on the basis of inclement weather.
How do I get
to McDonald Observatory?
Directions to the Observatory from the major highways
in the area are available in the Visiting
section of our site.
What can I do if
I visit McDonald Observatory?
Descriptions and schedules for all of our programs are
available in the Programs section
of our site.
Is the Observatory wheelchair accessible?
Generally speaking, yes ... and please spend a little more time making your plans. For visiting our research areas, your best plan is to join us for one of our twice-daily
guided tours.
During the tour, you'll have access to an elevator at the 107-inch
dome that would otherwise be unavailable. If you need to drive
your own vehicle to the top, ask the folks at the Visitors Center Information Desk for
a special parking permit to be able to park right next to the
dome.
For the most part, our other activities are accessible without
special preparations. Solar
Viewings are conducted in our multimedia theater at the Visitors Center using remote telescopes and video equipment. Most folks find that getting to the eyepieces of our telescopes during Star
Parties requires only moderate assistance (the possible exception being our 22-inch telescope which sometimes requires the ability to climb several steps).
In late summer of 2009, we hope to unveil a spectacular new telescope at our Visitors Center which is specifically designed for wheelchair access.
Will the Observatory/Visitors
Center be open on (holidays, special dates, etc.)?
Officially the Observatory/Visitors Center is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Years' Day, and we don't conduct Star Party programs on Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve. The Gift Shop is closed one day each year near the end of August in order to conduct an annual inventory. If you are wondering if this may happen on the day you're planning to visit, feel free to call us (432-426-3640). Other than these times, the Center is open 10:00 A.M. to 5:30 P.M. every day.
Can you mail me
some/all this information?
Our web site is designed to provide the most current information in the most timely way. Our printed information is much more generic and can be obtained by calling the Visitors Center at 432-426-3640.
Can I get a nighttime
tour of the Observatory?
Tours of our facility are conducted every day at 11:00 A.M.. and 2:00 P.M. which is the best way to see the research areas. Nighttime access is generally restricted to our Visitors
Center Public Observatory where our three-times-per-week evening
Star Parties
are conducted.
Do your public
programs require reservations?
Generally speaking, no. Our Guided
Tours, Solar
Viewings, and Star
Parties do not require any reservations, although space on
the Guided Tours is limited so you should plan to arrive no less
than 20 - 30 minutes early (earlier during peak periods, like March,
June, and July typically). The only programs that do require
reservations (typically months in advance) are the occasional
Special Viewing
Nights on the 107", 82", and 36" research telescopes.
What is the best time to visit the Observatory?
There's no easy way to answer that one ... it depends on what you want to do or see. To see the research areas, you'll want to visit between 10:00 A.M.. and 4:30 P.M. daily (particularly, the
Guided Tours.)
For nighttime telescope viewing, our Star
Parties are your best bet. If you're asking for the best time
of year to visit us, typically Autumn brings us our most consistently
clear skies. Over the next few years, Spring/Summer will be the best time for seeing Saturn, and Summer/Fall are best for Jupiter.
I've got young children; why do the Star Parties have to start so late in the Summer?
As much as we'd like to start the Star Parties in the Summer at an earlier time, it is just not dark enough to do so until nearly 10:00 P.M. The Observatory is located very far west in the Central Time zone, so while we are in the same time zone as Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and Austin, the times of sunrise and sunset are very different. In fact, the Sun sets at the Observatory almost an hour later than it does in Houston.
I don't have
a telescope, can I still join the Star Parties?
Having a telescope is not necessary ... we've got quite a few. Come on up and join us. All you really need is a desire to learn about the night sky. Binoculars can help as well (but, once again, they aren't necessary.) If you have a telescope you'd like to bring along ... that's fine. Keep in mind, though, that if you set up your scope during the public Star Party people WILL want to look through it and we'll ask you to accommodate their requests. So, if you'd rather not have people near your expensive telescope, you can always set up later.
I have
my own telescope, can I set up during the Star Party?
Yes, by all means, feel free to give us a hand. As long as you're willing to let others look through your telescope and answer the questions they may have about it, you're more than welcome to set up with us. If you'd rather not have people around your expensive telescope, you're welcome to do your observing after the public Star Party. The Observatory is NOT a campground, however, so if you're here, you should be observing. After you're finished observing, you must remove your equipment and leave the facility ... no camping (tent, RV, or otherwise) is allowed on Observatory grounds. If you can work with these rules, we'll be happy to accommodate you.
Are there
waiting lists for your Special Viewing Nights programs?
While we maintain a call back list for our Special Viewing Nights, we only rarely receive cancellations. Please don't expect too much if you get on the list. You're much better off picking an alternative date or joining one of our regular
Star Party programs than waiting for a call from us. If you'd like to be put on a call back list for any of the sold-out dates, just give us a call at 432-426-3640 and one of our staff will be happy to assist you.
What is the nearest airport and car rental to the Observatory?
There isn't a "nearby" airport. For
private aviation there are airstrips in Marfa and Alpine (both
about 40 miles from the Observatory). Both have car rental services.
For commercial flights, the nearest airports are in El Paso (185
miles) and Midland-Odessa (170 miles). Although you can count
on roughly 2.5 to 3 hour drives from either, when driving from
El Paso you'll lose an hour going from Mountain time (El Paso)
to Central time (McDonald).
Are there places
to eat at the Observatory?
StarDate Café - Heavenly food right here at the Observatory!
There are many restaurants
in Fort Davis offering a reasonably wide variety of food. We do have several tables/chairs around our new Visitors Center, and there is a covered area outside the StarDate Cafe (no "alien" food inside please). There are several roadside picnic tables nearby on Hwy 118 (two towards Fort Davis, about 1/2 mile and 2 miles, and another about 1/2 mile towards Kent.) A very nice picnic area, called the Lawrence E. Wood Roadside Rest Area, is about 8 miles northwest of McDonald towards Kent along Hwy 118.
Are there RV
hook-ups and/or camping facilities at the Observatory?
No, the Observatory is a University of Texas research facility and is not associated with the State/National Park systems. Overnight camping/RVing on Observatory grounds is NOT permitted. The are a number of places in and around Fort Davis that do offer camping/RVing. Please check the official Fort Davis website for a list of area accommodations.
How far
in advance do I need to make reservations for a private Tour or
private Star Party?
Private programs must be arranged at least 40 days prior to the date you are requesting.
Can large groups join the regular
public programs?
Groups are more than welcome to join us for any of our programs, and we'd appreciate advance notice about which programs your group is interested. Many times we can offer
private activities
that may better suit your group's needs. If you have any questions
concerning your group's visit, please feel free to contact
us.
I'm interested is seeing
the Aurora Borealis, when can I come to the Observatory to see
them?
The Aurora Borealis is only rarely seen at latitudes below 35 degrees. The Observatory is at 30 degrees north, so seeing the aurorae here is quite rare ... happening perhaps only a half of a dozen times every solar cycle (approx. 11 years.) Typically, solar and geomagnetic activity must be at an extreme maximum for us to see any activity at all and is difficult to predict at best. An excellent resource for learning more about such activity is the NASA supported site called SpaceWeather.com.
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