stargazing locations in Texas. - Wild Texas Forums: Parks, Travel & Recreation

kayaker · 06-09-2005, 01:12 AM

Hello,

I am waiting for the moment when Mars gets really close to earth! I hear it's truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!!

I need the best locations in the Texas area for watching this.
any place quiet, dark, and away is what im looking for, someplace where you'd go with another person and both stare at the sky for the entire night.

if there's any advice, ANY, please feel free to email me. thanks!
please hurry as there is not much time left!!

copuswalker · 06-09-2005, 08:28 AM

Where do you live??
Can always say Big Bend but it is a ride

Shannon · 06-09-2005, 11:22 AM

Anywhere away from the city glow. I've been known to stargaze in my backyard in NE San Antonio, as long as the stars or meteor radiant is away from the glow of San Antonio. We have poor (read: none) Dark Sky initiatives in this city, so a lot of excessive lighting is used. But heading out towards Canyon Lake and further, you'll start rediscovering the night sky. Used to be able to see the Milky Way from the (once free) parks on Canyon Lake, but I'm not so sure that's still true with all the development out that way. Bandera, Texas -- Hill Country State Natural Area -- on top of one of the "peaks" would be good. Just bring a headlamp for the hike, wear good shoes and have a red filter handy once you get situated and don't want to ruin your night vision. (I wouldn't night hike up steep terrain with a red filter -- not enough illumination, imho.)

Justin and I watched the last lunar eclipse while laying down on the pink granite at Enchanted Rock SNA during a camping trip (our last camping trip prior to my knee injury and surgery). Don't recall seeing a lot of stars, but that's 'cuz there was a FULL MOON OUT, and when the moon was in shadow we were staring intently on it watching the eclipse shadow pass over it.

Anyone have other ideas? Big Bend can't be beat... I saw so many stars I couldn't make out the most common constellations -- the sky I saw there was nothing like the sky I'd known all the rest of my life.

ploddinTod · 06-09-2005, 02:19 PM

There's a good reason for the observatory in the Davis Mountains. So Westward Ho! It's the place to go.

The farther away from the humid coast you go, the better the viewing possibilities are. :ribbit:

kayaker · 06-10-2005, 10:07 AM

I live in Dallas.
But thanks for all the suggestions!
I'll look into that observatory in the west!!! I just might give that a try,.
thanks!

Shannon · 06-10-2005, 10:21 AM

Brazos Bend State Park has an observatory and a quite nice interpretive program on Saturdays. You can read more about the George Observatory for details. The observatory is accessible once you enter the park, and there's a small fee to participate in the interpretive program but it's well worth it. We got to look through the main dome, as well as the two smaller dome telescopes and numerous volunteer's scopes, including some that were quite advanced (motor-drive, computer-hookup with star charts and other data), etc. Had a blast!

The park's about 280 miles from Dallas (per our Driving Distance & Travel Time calculator), but that's still a lot closer than West Texas.

You wouldn't expect to find an observatory there, seemingly so close to Houston, but we were pleasantly surprised -- we could even make out the Milky Way faintly across the sky.

dwalsdorf · 06-10-2005, 10:22 AM

Kayaker:

I second the McDonald Observatory in Ft. Davis. There are a couple of reasons for this. First, the available toys are AMAZING. The night parties they have there give a person access to much more "tele" than you can buy at the local telescope "store" or carry around in the van. The folks that work there are all astro-geeks, and their excitement about what they do is wonderful. Not to mention their knowledge of just about ANY question that the visitors lob at them. Por ejemplo, I never knew that "one" of the stars in Orion's belt was actually TWO stars--and they had the gear to show it to you.

Be warned, however, I have heard that when there is an astronomical event, McDonald gets full. There is a limit to the number of folks that can attend the parties. But if the night sky (or event) is a big interest to you, I would think it would make a great drive across the State to go play there. Besides, there's lots of other fun stuff 'round there during the daytime--i.e., Big B. is an easy day trip. The lodging is a hoot also.

Shannon · 06-10-2005, 10:27 AM

Here's the URL for the McDonald Observatory in West Texas. I recommend it too, even though I've never been. We were too busy exploring Big Bend National Park to make the haul north and further west to visit the observatory. We'll make a special trip out that way sometime.

Alchemist2000 · 06-10-2005, 08:54 PM

As others have said, west Texas (Big Bend or the Davis Mountains) and especially the McDonald Observatory would definitely be my recommendations. However, since you mentioned you live in Dallas, I thought I would point out the University of North Texas observatory. It was picked by D Magazine as the best stargazing location in the area. However, I suspect most people don't know about it. It is a LOT closer than west Texas and it is free, however it is only open to the public on the first Saturday of the month.

If the skies are not cooperating or you don't want to wait until dark, you might also check out UNT's planetarium, Sky Theater. I have not seen any of their most recent shows, but it is usually quite good. It is open to the public on Saturdays. Times and rates are on the website.

Shannon · 06-18-2005, 10:28 AM

While populating our Wild Texas Calendar with events, I came across two upcoming events of note for this thread:

Stargazing Party on July 9th @ Ray Roberts Lake SP

Stargazing Party on July 9th @ San Angelo SP

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