*as seen in North Canton Living Magazine August 2024
“To be a planet-hunter or an astronomer, you need to take as much science as possible. Undergraduates should take mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics, and astronomy. But, don’t neglect philosophy, languages, literature, music, and any other classes that interest you – they will help you think outside the box.” Debra Fischer, American Astronomer
I shivered in the massive sterile feeling room. Surrounded by large pieces of equipment, I stared up at the domed ceiling soaring high above. I could feel the airflow as the aperture opened and the dome rotated on giant rolling pins. The 160-ton Harlan Smith Telescope hung over us. I could imagine the astronomers at night programming in the coordinates and beaming the image to a distant astronomer in another part of the world. A fellow tour group member beamed as he pressed the dome’s giant stop-and-go buttons under the watchful eye of our tour guide.
The McDonald Observatory began in 1929 with the second-largest telescope in the world dedicated in 1939. The complex is operated by the University of Texas Austin and is found in western Texas as part of one of the largest dark sky preserves in the world. Today, the McDonald Observatory houses five telescopes including the famous Hobby-Eberly Telescope which is currently studying dark energy.
I spent two days touring the grounds of the observatory. Perched on the peaks of the Davis Mountains, complex visits require either driving or taking a tour bus to reach each of the available telescopes. The complex also includes a large housing facility for visiting astronomers. The closest town of Fort Davis is a small community and a half-hour drive down the mountain range. The entire region is part of a dark sky preserve with county and state rules designed to minimize light pollution. The dark sky preserve reaches as far as Big Bend National Park which is a two-hour drive to the south.
The Star Party event I attended was canceled due to a rare thunderstorm that rolled in unexpectedly. Instead of viewing the stars from the multiple small telescopes set up in the visitor center courtyard, I attended three research presentations by the staff scientists. I learned about solar flares; spectroscopy and light pollution. The presentations were hands-on and interactive. As the thunderstorm raged on, we were safe in the auditorium with special glasses viewing the day’s films of the sun’s solar flares and observing the different chemical compositions of distant stars.
The next day I joined an in-person tour group as opposed to self-guided. Over the next three hours, we toured several telescopes including the Hobby-Eberly Telescope. The HET looked like a floating deck of mirrors. The HET Dark Energy Experiment (HETDEX) is the first major experiment to measure how the expansion of the universe has changed exploring the questions “Where did the universe come from?” and “Where is it going?” I was so grateful for the hearing accommodations provided by the tour guide.
I was even more grateful for their patience in answering the multitude of questions from the tour group.
What I Learned
The Orion Nebula is considered to be a stellar nursery.
All 91 mirrors of the HET work together as a giant “eye” to gather light. The HET gathers light from distant galaxies – some galaxies are more than 10 billion light years away.
Astronomers determine the temperature of an object by taking its spectrum. The color tells how hot an object is – this is how they measure the age of a star.
A simple cap on parking lot lights would significantly reduce light pollution by focusing the light downward where it is needed.
W.J. McDonald, a lifelong bachelor, had a small telescope in his backyard. When he died he left a million dollars to fund the observatory. His family contested the will and settled out of court. The observatory is one of the leading centers for astronomical research today.
Before You Go
McDonald Observatory Park is fairly remote and a thirty-minute drive from Fort Davis, TX. There are two hotels and a variety of Airbnb and bed breakfasts but rooms are limited. Book early or go in the off-season. I visited in January and there were few tourists but the weather is unpredictable. Davis Mountains State Park is located only fifteen minutes down the mountain from the park with a large affordable campground.
There is no cell service near the park due to the mountains and to limit cell signal interference. Download your map in advance.
Due to the dark sky status, the night is dark for several driving hours around as night illumination can interfere with the telescopes.
There are multiple options to tour the facility from a self-guided tour where you drive yourself to a guided tour with a bus. If you have a large RV, the bus option is your best bet as the roads are windy and narrow on the mountain. The tours are reasonable at $10 per person with the most expensive being the Star Party at $25.00. Senior and child discounts are available. Book your tickets in advance as they sell out early and the groups tend to run small.
Layer your clothing. If you attend the Star Party prepare for chilly evenings even in the summer. Bring water for the arid desert air as well as snacks. There are limited options available on the campus.
Ask questions! This information is complex the tour guides are genuinely excited to answer your questions.
“No one is dumb who is curious. The people who don’t ask questions remain clueless throughout their lives.” Neil deGrasse Tyson, American Astronomer