Posts Tagged ‘McDonald Observatory’

Scenic West Texas Drive

Wednesday, March 14th, 2012
McDonald Observatory, West Texas

The McDonald Observatory on Mount Locke.

Picture yourself on a long stretch of quiet road that meanders its way through West Texas and the Davis Mountains. That’s what you’ll find on the Scenic Loop Drive that begins and ends in Fort Davis. It’s a great way for guests of Fort Davis Bed and Breakfasts to experience the vast, mountainous landscape of West Texas.

Head through Limpia Canyon, which is guarded by Mount Locke and Mount Fowlkes. 6,791-ft Mount Locke is is home to the McDonald Observatory, which is well worth a visit if you’ve never been. The view of the surrounding landscape is spectacular.

The drive then leads into Madera Canyon, where there are shaded picnic areas and one good hike, the Madera Canyon Trail. It is a 2.4 mile loop. Hikers can head to a spot overlooking the canyon or descend to the bottom of the canyon, where there is a large pond.

Back on the road, travel past Mt. Livermore and Sawtooth Mountain. Enjoy expansive views of the Sierra Viejo Mountains, which hug the Rio Grande. Also visible are the Puertacita Mountains and Miter Peak.

This is one of the most beautiful loops in Texas, and one of the least well-known. The Scenic Loop Drive is 75 miles long and can be driven in about 1.5 hours.

Evening Events at the McDonald Observatory

Monday, May 9th, 2011

The McDonald Observatory is an incredible resource for anyone interested in learning more about the universe. Its remote location in the Davis Mountains allows for prime viewing of the night sky. Visitors to the Observatory should plan to stay several nights in a Fort Davis Texas Bed and Breakfast. Fort Davis is located at the foot of the mountains, less than 20 miles from the McDonald Observatory.

McDonald Observatory

Take advantage of special evening programs at the McDonald Observatory when you stay at a Fort Davis B&B.

The Visitors Center is open daily; while it is certainly worth a visit, the real magic occurs at night. Throughout the year, the McDonald Observatory offers a variety of star gazing parties and special events, and they are well worth the planning it takes to get there.

McDonald Observatory Special Events:

  • Evening Star Party: look through large telescopes to see constellations and view the moon, planets, stars, galaxies, etc.
  • Lunar Viewing: see the moon as you’ve never seen it, through a 16-inch telescope.
  • Dinner and a Viewing: enjoy dinner and then a special dessert – view the universe through the 107-inch Harian J. Smith Telescope.
  • Special Viewing Night on the 36″ Telescope: the 1956 telescope perched atop Mt. Locke provides incredible views of planets, planetary nebulae, etc.

 

Dates for all evening programs are entirely dependent on the universe. Please see the McDonald Observatory for dates and details.

Fort Davis Texas Bed and Breakfasts welcome star gazers any time of year.

McDonald Observatory

Tuesday, April 28th, 2009

Ah…West Texas. Open sky, clear nights.

mcdonald-observatoryWhile in West Texas, take advantage of your proximity to the world-famous McDonald Observatory and visit it. Located just 16 miles north west of Fort Davis, Texas, the astronomical facilities at McDonald Observatory are perched atop Mt. Locke, 6,791 feet above sea level. Tour the research facilities during daylight hours, and partake in the solar viewing parties. Dine on healthful, delicious food in the beautifully situated StarDate Cafe, which overlooks the mountains

more-mcdonaldPlan to stay the in a Fort Davis Bed and Breakfast, and join one of the Star Parties that the Observatory puts on every Tuesday, Friday and Saturday, after dark. Make sure to arrive early enough to catch the Twilight Program, which starts some time between 6pm and 8pm, depending on the season. Periodic Special Viewing nights allow visitors the chance to look through either a 36″ telescope, 82″ telescope, or 107″ telescope. According to the McDonald Observatory website, visitors will “explore the spiral arms of our galaxy to find nebulae and star clusters. Nebulae are the birthplace of new stars, but are also formed in the violent throes of stellar death and are quite beautiful. Young clusters of stars shine with the brilliant light of young, hot stars, while the oldest denizens of the Milky Way, the globular star clusters, contain hundreds of thousands of stars as old as the galaxy itself. We’ll take a look at galaxies beyond the Milky Way to put our stellar city in perspective.” The website goes on to warn that participants may never again be satisfied with their personal telescopes.

Travel to West Texas, and visit the McDonald Observatory. It will rock your world.