Star Parties are typically thrown on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday nights. It is closed to the public on Sunday and Monday. The Observatory is 450 miles west of Austin and 520 miles southwest of Dallas. The general admission ticket also allows access to the visitor center exhibit gallery and gift shop. Visitors who are not up for a tour or talk can simply purchase a general admission ticket, which includes a self-guided tour of the summits of Mount Locke and Mount Fowlkes. Filtered telescopes in the visitor center allow daytime visitors to view the sun safely during solar viewing programs. Guided tours to the research telescopes are offered several times per week. Home to several of the largest telescopes in the world, the Observatory is also a popular daytime destination. Telescopes are available for sky viewing after the talk. During the two-hour Star Parties staff members point out and discuss prominent stars and constellations. For visitors, this means that stars, planets, constellations and meteors can be observed at night in their full sparkling glory, undiminished by artificial light from cities and suburbs. Located on Mount Locke and Mount Fowlkes in the remote Davis Mountains, the Observatory and its telescopes enjoy some of the darkest skies in the continental United States. Science is NOT boring, and scientists are not stodgy.The hottest ticket in West Texas? A reservation for one of the thrice-weekly Star Parties at McDonald Observatory in Fort Davis. (This was a BIG telescope!) The kids were so impressed! When the man asked my youngest if there was anything else he’d like to see, he answered, “Yes! I want to see the Death Star!” (Guess what movie he’d recently watched.) Without skipping a beat, the man answered earnestly, “Oh! I wish I could see it too…but as you know, that was a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.” □ One man patiently helped my children study the craters of the moon and find Saturn so they could look at its rings. Several telescopes were set up in our local park, and many of their owners had brought step-stools so that little ones could look into the big lenses. Our youngest was only about 5 when we made our first trip out into the dark one Friday night. I was always impressed by the way these science enthusiasts gently encouraged my children. Speaking for our family, we have some wonderful memories of star parties in the park and stargazing courses taught by a local expert. Do plan well in advance, though, as their classes may fill up quickly!Ī trip to the observatory is sure to be educational, but you may also be surprised by how much fun your students will have. Their resources include guided tours of the night sky, labs, and activities, and several take place at the McDonald Observatory. In their own words, “SkyTitan is an educational content provider that offers innovative, online educational resources to schools, homeschoolers, and life-long learners.” Many of their resources were developed out of collaborations between universities, professional institutions, and scientists, so you can be assured of its quality. If you have a particular interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) or Astronomy, you’ll definitely want to know about SkyTitan.
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