Daytime Tours and Solar Viewings

In consideration of our community and according to guidelines related to social distancing that The University of Texas at Austin and other regional institutions are following in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the McDonald Observatory Frank N Bash Visitors Center has canceled all programming through Sunday, April 19, 2020. The Visitor Center gift shop and StarDate café will also be closed during this time.

Those with reservations for any programs during this time, including school visits, public tours, star parties, and special viewing nights will receive full refunds.

Please note that the McDonald Observatory science operations will continue, with CDC-recommended protocols in place.

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

The Visitors Center operates a set of specially filtered telescopes equipped with cameras that allow us to bring live, safe views of the Sun into our theater. Knowledgeable guides present history of the Sun, its formation, and what we expect the Sun to do over the next 5-6 billion years. Your guide directs the telescope to view the Sun and various surface features. On not so clear days, video and stills are used. This is typically a 45-50 minute program.

The guided tour begins at the summit of Mt. Locke. Visitors may drive their vehicles or ride the Observatory shuttle from the Visitor Center. Guides provide history of the Observatory and the large telescopes, including descriptions of the parts of the telescope, demonstrations of the telescope motions, etc. The tour continues to the summit of Mt. Fowlkes and the Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET). At the HET, you'll learn more about that telescope's unique design and the current cutting-edge research done here. During Spring Break, Mt. Fowlkes & the HET are a self-guided experience.

These are the typical daytime activities. We occasionally alter the content or order to accommodate research activities or large numbers of visitors (e.g., during Spring Break, during which we offer additional programs which only visit one of the large research telescopes). While the Solar Viewing typically takes place much as described above, the content of the tour may take place in somewhat altered order, or the Hobby-Eberly Telescope may be self-guided only. Please note that, other than what is described above for the Solar Viewing program, there is no viewing through telescopes during the Guided Tours.

From the start of the Solar Viewing to the end of the Guided Tour, the Daytime Programs typically run approximately 2.5 hours.

The Visitors Center is accessible via wheelchair. The 107" Telescope dome floor is accessible via elevator which is available only on the guided tours. The summit of Mt. Locke has some steep grades. Inquire at the Visitor Center for a parking pass when participating in the guided tour. The HET's George T. Abell gallery at the summit of Mt. Fowlkes is accessible.

Some areas of the Observatory are accessible without a guide. A self-guided tour map is available at the Information Desk ($1 donation) or download it here for free and save the paper. At the top of Mt. Locke, the views off to the east, south, and southwest can be stunning on a clear day. The booklet can fill you in on some of the history and contributions of the large telescopes at this peak. Restrooms are available at the 107" dome from 10:00a - 5:00p everyday. There are also several informative short videos available for view in the ground floor lobby of the 107" dome. Currently, no other part of the 107" dome is accessible to the public except on the guided tour. The 82" dome is not accessible to the public.
 
Over at the summit of Mt. Fowlkes, you can see the largest telescope in North America and the 2nd largest in the world, the Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET). The George T Abell Gallery at the HET is open 10:00a - 5:00p and features informative videos explaining the Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment or HETDEX, for short. Public restrooms are also available in the HET gallery. A large panoramic window allows up-close views of this unique telescope

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

Refund Policy:  Daytime Programs (Solar Viewings & Guided Tours) are 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. Missed programs will not be refunded or rescheduled. Contact us for more information or to let us know if you have special needs. Our Daytime Programs are primarily indoor programs so are not weather dependent (except when road conditions may present a safety issue.)

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. Apparently, these services aggressively filter for spam and our confirmations are getting caught in these filters. 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.