Buy Tickets for Programs

McDonald Observatory remains closed to the public

Important Announcement from the McDonald Observatory Frank N Bash Visitors Center ..

May 4, 2020

Last week Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced the first steps to re-open the state safely and strategically to limit the spread of COVID-19. While some businesses and organizations are re-opening, The University of Texas at Austin announced that it will continue to operate in its current mode. As part of the University, McDonald Observatory remains closed to the public at this time, though scientific research continues. No decision has been made yet on when we will re-open to the public. We will rely on input from the University, as well as local, state, and national health authorities to make that determination, which will be announced via social media, news release, and on our website once it is known.

Public programs at the observatory remain on hold and no tickets will be sold until a re-opening date is decided and published. For details on our current status see the recent Message from the Director.

For updates, please continue to consult this website as well as our press release page.

Please visit us! See some of the largest telescopes in the world and learn about fascinating science in a daytime guided tour. At night, enjoy fabulous views of celestial wonders through telescopes operated by our expert guides.

Programs routinely sell-out throughout the year: Reserve your tickets below.

Important: McDonald Observatory, part of the University of Texas at Austin, is located 450 miles west of Austin and is on Central Time.

Programs

Join us for any (or all!) of the following programs at our West Texas observatory. The Visitors Center features exhibits, a theater, cafe, and gift shop and is where you can learn more about our programs.

Daytime Solar Viewings and Guided Tours - Every day (except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day)
Twilight Programs and Evening Star Parties - Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays (with additional nights during peak periods)
Special Viewing Nights on our Large Research Telescopes - Schedule varies

Use the tools below to buy tickets. The system defaults to one adult pass. If you don't need that pass, click the number field and select zero.

K-12 Teachers: Bring your class to the observatory for an educational and inspiring Student Field Experience.

Prices

	Adults	Military/ Senior (65+)	Student (age 5-College*)	Children (age 0-4)
Solar Viewing & Tour (Daytime or Day Pass)	$9	$8	$8	free
Solar Viewing Only	$6	$5	$5	free
Twilight Program	$6	$6	$6	free
Star Party	$15	$12	$10	free
Other Programs	Prices Vary

* Current college student with a valid school ID. Current UT system faculty, staff, and students should also use this category.

Group Discounts

Groups of 10 or more reserving for a Solar Viewing, Tour, Twilight Program and/or Star Party receive automatic discounts (the reservation system will automatically calculate and apply the discount for you.)

No group discounts are available for Special Viewing Night (SVN) passes. SVN passes should be reserved separately from other reservations to ensure that important information about those programs is sent to you. See the SVN pages for more info.

Please include all members of your party in your tour reservation (including passes for children age 4 and under). Contact us for more information or to let us know if you have special needs. Bring a printout of your online receipt, a digital copy on your device (note that the Observatory does not have public WiFi and is out of cell range) or make note of the confirmation code you receive from our system. Passes will be under your last name at the Information Desk.

UT & Military discount / Refund policy / Pet policy / SBCGlobal, AOL, Yahoo, etc. ...

UT & Military Discount: The Visitors Center offers a discount to our UT colleagues with a current valid UT ID. To receive this discount, enter any passes for current UT students, staff, or faculty under the "Student" category. Active duty military should select the "Snr(65+)/Mil" category to receive that discount.

Refund Policy: Solar Viewing, Guided Tour, Twilight Program and Star Party passes are all refundable up to 3 days prior to the program ($3 administrative fee) after which rescheduling will be offered (free). Please email or call us (432-426-3640, then zero at the message) with your cancellation or reschedule request. No-shows will not be refunded or rescheduled. Contact us for more information or to let us know if you have special needs. Those in attendance but not wishing to stay for our cloudy Star Party alternate programs (see the "Learn more about what happens at the Star Parties" section above) have the option to accept a free reschedule to come back at another time or, if preferred, a refund (minus a $3 processing fee) is offered at that time to those who are unlikely to return to our area. While there are no other fees involved, reschedules must contact the Visitors Center to plan their return visit.

Pet Policy: As much as most of us would love to welcome our four-legged furry friends, UT policy, in accordance with the State Attorney's General Office, does not allow pets (including emotional, comfort, etc., therapy/support animals) in Observatory buildings or in indoor/at outdoor public program venues. In accordance with federal regulations, trained service animals accompanying their handlers/owners are welcome.

SBCGlobal, AOL, Yahoo, HotMail, etc.: SCBGlobal customers ... SBCGlobal appears to be completely blocking email from our reservation system. Either use a different email address or send an email to our staff who can send you a PDF copy of the confirmation. We've had a number of visitors with AOL, Yahoo, HotMail sorts of email accounts tell us that they've not received their purchase confirmation emails. Please be sure to check your spam/junk folder and/or add "reservations@webreserv.com" to your address book as an approved email contact before making your reservations to avoid missing your confirmation email.

The system defaults to one adult pass. If you don't need that pass, click the number field and select zero.

If you're 65 or over and want the senior discount, choose the "Snr (65+)" pass only. There is no need to purchase both an adult and a senior pass.

Be sure to click on the "Book" button on the final reservations page as your final step in making your reservation.

Star Party

Know Before You Go

Dress warmly (especially for evening programs) and bring your reservation confirmation with you. The Visitors Center is open 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Central Time (and additional hours on Star Party nights) every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. The phone number is 432-426-3640.

Directions
Reservations
Calendar
Weather
When to Visit
Special Needs & Concerns
Pet Policy & Service Animals
Visiting with young children
Cell Phone Usage
StarDate Café Hours of Operation
Frequently Asked Questions
General Information Printout