The McDonald Observatory

This 75th anniversary exhibition featured amazing night-sky images as seen from one of the darkest places on the planet, high atop Mts. Locke and Fowlkes near Fort Davis in West Texas. Unique artifacts related to astronomy from the McDonald Observatory collection, such as a giant mirrored panel of the reflective surface that makes a telescope function, were also featured.

A 1,000 pound scale model of the Otto Struve telescope from the 1930s was on loan from the Western Reserve Historical Society in Cleveland. The telescope model, along with other equipment from the observatory, was featured with the stories of modern discoveries like the search for Dark Energy, bouncing lasers off of the moon, and discovering the atmosphere of Saturn’s moon Titan. The exhibition also discussed the support of the Fort Davis community that makes Mt. Locke the perfect place for viewing the night sky.

A compelling and easily accessible website and blog hosted by UT, as well as programming that included a series of "space days" at the Museum during exhibition were some of the educational offerings featured as part of the Observatory's year-long series of celebrations around Texas that began September 1, 2013, and ran through August, 2014.

This exhibition was made possible by Sophia and G. W. Brock and Michelle K. Brock.

Support for the Bullock Museum's exhibitions and education programs provided by the Texas State History Museum Foundation.