UT McDonald Observatory Reviews

They have good setup and the staff is kind and responsive. We had a bad day from weather point of view but the staff tried to make it interesting as much as possible.
Only complain is about the merchandise they sell. They are too costly for the quality they sell. Had to buy a pull over and t shirt (due to cold weather) for 60 dollars which are over priced for inferior quality.

This place is amazing, I had a great time. Special thanks to Mark for showing us the moon.

Great experience! But it became cloudy and couldn't finish the star party. And leaned a few things.

We visited on a night with a new moon for the star party and had a great view of the stars. It was much colder than we were prepared for though and windy. I bought some red flashlights off Amazon and they worked great. The phone lines were down so we couldn't buy anything as we had no cash.

I loved it I would like to observe the stars a little or some planet but the day I went you could only see two stations and the truth was I imagined another one like it but it is something that I do not see every day and I liked it a lot my family loved it

This is located in the Davis mountains. It's a nice little drive to get up to the observatory. Once you get there, there's an awesome visitor's center full of great toys, books, souvenirs, etc. There's light restrictions on the town so the view is unlike anything you could imagine. It's absolutely beautiful and you learn so much! Fun and educational all in one shot.

Beautiful scenes, fascinating science.. will do it again for a star party!

Very interesting place! Knowledgeable and friendly staff to help answer questions and guide you. Highly recommend star party (just bring warm clothes)

A must. Book for a stargazing night.....astonishing. great visuals and chance to see some amazing star systems

We attended both a Twilight lecture and a Star Party.

The Twilight lecture, (planetary movement), may be better suited to older teens and adults. I had my 11 and 15 year old with us and while the older one was interested and could follow along, my younger one was bored for a good 30-40 minutes, (and she LOVES space!) The presentation also included slides depicting the movement of planets around the sun and both my youngest and my mom started getting a bit nauseous watching them spin.

The Star Party was phenomenal. We were a bit worried about the heavy rain surrounding us and the cloud cover, but it cleared quickly.

Best bet is to get to the viewing amphitheater quickly. We were in line while they were focusing and so got to view Saturn, Venus, and whirlpool galaxies before the lines got very long.

We finished out our viewing at the outdoor theater where we lay along the benches and just watched the sky. Satellites and shooting stars popped in and out.

The gift shop stays open late, so save that for last. No lines and you don't have to carry extra stuff.

We just stopped in for the self guided tour map. Beautiful place. Helpful staff. Loved exploring the mountain.

Love McDonald observatory. The star party is great. The twilight program was extra educational. Shannon was super informative and personable. The programs sell out, so reservations are a must. If you have the time and money, reserving time on one of the large telescopes would be something to remember. Four stars only because most of the hamds on stuff in the museum is well work or broken. Fix that and it's five stars for sure.

Returned to the observatory in August to attend a star party during the Perseids Meteor Shower. The start party started off with a constellation tour and general stargazing talk in the outdoor theater area. It was really informative and even entertaining. I learned quite a bit even though I'm not a complete newbie to stargazing.

After the constellation tour, there were several telescopes (around a dozen or so) set up for everyone to look through. There are astronomers attending each telescope, adjusting and refocusing as needed, as well as explaining each object you're looking at. It was way less frustrating than using my own telescope, as I didn't have to do any of the work! Saturn was in the sky when we were there, so they had a couple telescopes in the domes aimed towards it to help cut down on lines. We waited in line maybe 10-15 minutes to view Saturn. The other telescopes had even shorter lines. We looked at several deep space objects through a variety of Dobsonian telescopes, and one crazy telescope that I can't recall the name. The astronomers manning the telescopes were all very friendly and helpful.

There seemed to be a fairly large crowd at the observatory that night, but the lines and waits to look through telescopes went pretty fast. We went on a Saturday night during a new moon and a meteor shower, so I was pleasantly surprised how quickly we got to see everything.

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Ended up here after a scenic drive from Marfa - it was not as far as I thought. Nice scenic drive up the mountain from Fort Davis. Disappointed I did not make plans to do a star party here - will definitely be making a return visit in the future. Very nice facilities. Spectacular views.

This observatory is on a fabulous campus, people are knowledgeable, and the telescopes looked really fun... too bad we came on a Saturday night with 527 other people and it was cloudy. McDonald Observatory has no right to let in so many people to a space that could not hold that many people! Due to cloud cover, they graciously offered us rain-checks to come back within the next 2 years....this would be great if the observatory wasn't 5 hours from Anything. The reason we came out here was to see the Observatory and visit Big Bend, unlikely we'd be back any time soon. Due to the clouds (unfortunately, but not that uncommon for this part of the country) we were invited into either a 90 person theater for a 'star tour' or a 40 person classroom to discuss satellites. With 527 people attending you can do the math, this just doesn't work. Would I go again if I could? Possibly - I would not purchase tickets ahead of time as was recommended, and would not attend during any holiday weekends, or peak time in the summer.

We have been to two star parties, one beautiful clear night, one cloudy/stormy night. The star party on the clear night was obviously our favorite. It's honestly one of my husband and I's favorite things we've ever done traveling (and we travel a lot). We talk about it all the time (and this was the one we attended two years ago!) We recently attended again but it was very cloudy and storming. The presentations that were put on indoors were interesting, and we learned a lot. Try to go on a clear night if attending the Star Party, but don't be discouraged if it ends up being a bad night for viewing stars, you'll still have fun and learn tons!

Loved this place,we went about 2 years ago, the people were so nice,the tour is amazing, the view and the drive up is indescribable! It's a MUST see if your in that part of Texas! I'd recommend it to ANY AND EVERYONE!!

Seeing the huge telescopes was a real Plus. We took in the star party and the solar afternoon and tour and the Twilight visit also

Great place, especially the star party, just take care that you check the temperature, it was very cold in mid March

Great star gazing experience. It would have been great to at least tour the big telescopes, but the visitor center is quite a distance form the actual big telescope, and that was not an option.

The Night Star Gazing was worth it. Granted the telescopes were not in use because of the Covid restrictions. However the view of the night sky is great for any curious astro-nut.
I do recommend bringing a pair of binoculars

Excellent visitors center with friendly faces. Restrooms are clean and neat, facility is clean and inviting. Highly recommend visiting and learning more about astronomy

One of the best observatory tours I've been on. I've visited a few observatories, some self guided, but this one has more to see, and the tour guides are full of information.

I've taken the tour here 3 times now, and every time I see and learn about something new. I've had the chance to go inside domes with some of the Global Telescope Network telescopes, taken multiple tours of the new Hobby-Eberly telescope and even a chance to look down the tube of the large 107" telescope.

Depending on your time of visit, some scopes could be in maintenance positions, or in use for projects, which will ultimately determine what you can see on your tour.

The observatory also hosts observing programs, night time star parties and other events at the site. A museum inside the building has some interesting displays that demonstrate scientific principals and techniques and is very educational and entertaining. A theater program is sometimes available and a small deli inside the visitors center offers some limited food options.

Theres enough to see and do that this observatory is always worth a visit. I will definitely return again, and highly recommend it to anyone whos never visited.

I just love how dark the sky gets on a new moon out here. I've always wanted to take pictures next to one of these.

I registered for the Star Party several months in advance - tickets frequently sell out during holidays. I had a great time learning about constellations and looking at celestial objects through their telescopes.

If you live in a city like me, you've never seen as many stars, or with such clarity. Go to a star party. You won't regret it.

Star party rocks!! Outdoor view of the stars at night. Saw Saturn through the telescope. Beautiful!

GREAT PLACE TO VISIT .... DEFINITELY ADD TO YOUR BUCKET LIST

Did the solar viewing, tour, and star party. Highlight of our trip!

Amazing time. Such a great place. Saw the Milky Way with the naked eye. A must see.

The Observatory is located up in the mountains, so the drive is just stunning. We came in for a Star Party at night so I didn't get a good look at the building, but surrounding layout is nice. They have an outdoor seating area where you sit for the constellation tour they give, pointing out constellations and passing objects like the Hubble telescope and other satellites. They had several large/enormous telescopes set up for us to view the moon, Saturn, and some star clusters - beautiful! The information and narratives they provided added to the experience nicely.

Went to the star party and had a great time even though it was somewhat overcast. They provided a very informative and enjoyable experience. Will definitely go back.

The dark sky experience at the Star party is so fantastic. Our guide was very knowledgeable, of course. More stars than we could take in....several telescopes were on hand to see far away items. That was okay, but just seeing the blanket of stars and the Milky Way with bare sight was worth the trip up here. There is a snack bar and a gift shop, along with a learning center that were adequate. The staff were easy to talk to about astronomy!

You can see the darkest sky here at night! Could spot the milky way and millions of stars . Weather at midnight was so pleasant unlike other similar places. There are star parties arranged by the observatory, but it gets booked pretty quick.

never been to an observatory. really enjoyed it. took my dad with us since he hasn't been many places outside GA in his lifetime. this was a different experence for him and he enjoyed it greatly. the discussions at some times were overwhelming but were very interesting. we had a great tour guide which provided answers to all out questions.

Amazing experience a must for those interested in astronomy and education great gift shop gigantic telescopes

If you're here, then you know why it's amazing!! Star Party!!

Awesome experience. One of the few places left to actually see the stars. If you want to literally see the milkyway... this is the place to come.

They have so much to offer! Star Parties, solar viewings, occasional public viewings of the larger telescopes, gift shop. It's so dark, you can see the Milky Way with the naked eye! Love this place!

Great experience. Learned about our solar system. Pretty cool

Went to the Star Party on December 20, 2014 and the solar viewing the next morning. Gobs of people at the star party, but the program was really interesting and the views through the telescopes were awesome (if you don't mind waiting in line). Don't overlook the smaller telescopes! The best view of the night for me was of the Pleiades cluster through one of the portable telescopes.

Great for any age, the star party went through constellations and the stories behind them. They set up telescopes for you to look through. We saw the moon, star cluster, a dying star, and a few other things. Their gift shop has a great selection of shirts and toys. There is a cafe, which was perfect since it was 20 degrees outside. Be sure and get your tickets in advance! We went in January and it was suprisingly pretty packed.

So cool!! We had a great time visiting. Everyone is very knowledgeable and entertaining

Was pretty awesome! To cloudy to see anything at the star party but they made up for it by showing us other things with what they had

This place is Awesome , beautiful views, nice exhibit, my 11 mo old loved the rocket slide and the colored pencils wish we would have had time to take the tour...so when you go, check times and length, so you can see it all.

The presentation was quite informative. Wish the sky was clear so we could have watched the sun.

If you love looking at the planets and stars great place to go. The people were very knowledgeable. We will be going back again!

We didn't go in the actual observatory, but we looked at the view. It's high up. You'll feel it in your head because of the thin air.

We took turns biking down the long windy road which was great :)

One of the best experiences ever!! If you marvel at the sky and universe you gotta do this!!

My wife and I took our granddaughter to the star party on April 27th. Was a little chilly but we really enjoyed ourselves, even our 5 year old granddaughter had fun! The staff were informative and friendly.

I feel like I'm on top of the world. Or at least on top of Far West Texas. Awesome views and a great drive.

Very beautiful, worth seeing. The center was informative and interesting for all ages. We had a wonderful time here.

awesome presentation, saw a bunch of planets through the telescopes

The website says kid friendly, but I wouldn't bring anyone under the age of 5 to 7. Kids struggle to sit quietly through the first show and tell part, and then you have to lift them up to see through the telescopes without them touching them.

Leave them with someone, or wait till they are older and you will have much more fun.

Interesting tour, but the star party is severely overcrowded and not worth the hassles involved nor the chilly night.

Very interesting and informative. The speaker was extremely knowledgable and explained things in easy to understand terms. And he had a great sense of humor. Unfortunately a thick cloud bank moved across the night sky that blocked the stars and moon from viewing, so we opted to leave rather than move in doors.
We stayed at the Harvard Hotel in Ft Davis. It was comfortable and reasonable but we don't recommend any of the restaurants. Alpine is a much larger town with many more restaurants and lodging choices, but a farther drive to the observatory.

I did the Star Party here and just wow. Totally awesome stuff! The staff are super nice and knowledgeable about everything astronomy and will take any questions you have. The sky out here is mesmerizing!

It was interesting in a way, I wish there was more interactive things for children, but definitely educational and would return another time in the future. I went to the star party and it was about 50+ people at least, I expected around 30 or so, and a bit more access to the telescopes.
So maybe just some more clarity on the website for that specific portion would be great! I might have just missed the explanation of it when I signed up, but I went because a trusted friend recommended!
The staff is friendly and especially knowledgeable

Such an awesome place to visit. It's a must do at night time if you are in the Fort Davis area

Great experience. Pre-book a tour few days in advance; as the tours get filled-up pretty fast.

Brilliant and engaging educators made a cloudy Star Party into an interesting evening. I was surprised by the huge crowd - would recommend a day program or a moonless night during a less popular time of year.

We got hit with clouds twice, but they still put on a great show.

We did a self-guided tour of the observatory site during the day, then a Special Viewing Night (SVN) of the 36" telescope. The site itself is fairly spread out so you will drive to the different domes, but there are informative markers throughout. Right now the enormous HET telescope is being upgraded. You can still go inside and see it, though. There are a few hiking trails around but the telescopes are the obvious draw for most people. The SVN was capped at just 10 participants plus your astronomer guide. Our evening started on time at 7:30pm, but the clouds were getting thicker. We were shuttled up to the 36" dome anyway, and everyone sat inside on folder chairs placed along the inside wall. It was cramped but not uncomfortable. Our astronomer managed to find a few objects to look through between clouds. He offered to extend the program by an hour (to 4 hours), to which we all agreed. Thankfully the clouds started to dissipate and we were able to view about a dozen objects. Unlike the larger two scopes this one still has an optical eyepiece so it was neat to step up to it each time. I was a little less than impressed with the sights, though. They weren't what I would call 'awe inspiring'. I am not an astronomer, even an amateur one, so perhaps I just couldn't appreciate what we were seeing. I suspect our guide used the powerful scope to see objects are too faint with a small backyard scope in order to impress the knowledgeable ones in our group, but too me most of them looked like regular stars. I was able to see a nebula and a star cluster, which looked neat. Overall I'm still very glad I went, and it was worth the money ($65/pp). Next time I'll try a star party for greater variety.

Best night experience ever Loved this fun & educational dark no moon nite

Love the drive and area, but if you dont plan and check times you won't see much just the visitors center and the newest telescope, which is still very interesting, just very small.

Great tour! Learned so much. Definitely a return trip in the future.