Near Fort Davis in Jeff Davis County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

McDonald Observatory of the University of Texas

Photographed by Kayla Harper, July 8, 2023

1. McDonald Observatory of the University of Texas Marker

Inscription. Original unit in complex forming one of the great observatory centers of the world. Built in the 1930s under terms of legacy from William Johnson McDonald (1844-1926), a Paris (Texas) banker interested in the stars. A well-educated man, McDonald lived frugally. As a hobby, he read science books and viewed planets through a small telescope. His will granted to the University of Texas $800,000. "To build an observatory and promote the study of astronomy."

This site was selected because of its high ratio of clear nights, its 6,800-foot altitude, and its quite low latitude that permits observation of southern skies.

The observatory was operated for its first 25 years mainly by astronomers from the University of Chicago, more recently primarily from the University of Texas. Until 1948, its 82-inch telescope was second largest in the world. Its fine work and site have resulted in the addition of other telescopes including a 107-inch instrument sponsored jointly by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Science Foundation, and the University of Texas.

Discoveries made here have included

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interstellar polarization and the satellites of several planets.

Erected 1968 by State Historical Survey Committee. (Marker Number 10480.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Notable Buildings • Notable Places • Science & Medicine. A significant historical year for this entry is 1948.

Location. 30° 40.277′ N, 104° 1.369′ W. Marker is near Fort Davis, Texas, in Jeff Davis County. It is on State Highway 78. From Fort Davis, take SH 118 W approx. 11.5 miles to the top of Mt. Locke, McDonald Observatory. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Fort Davis TX 79734, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Texas’ Trans-Pecos & Big Bend Region.

It is also in the American Southwest.

Globally, it is in North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the Republic of Texas,

and one of the Confederate States of America.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 10 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies:

Photographed by Kayla Harper, July 8, 2023

2. McDonald Observatory of the University of Texas Marker

Marker is in front of the Otto Struve Telescope.

Prude Ranch (approx. 6.3 miles away); Trueheart House (approx. 9.1 miles away); Fort Davis (approx. 9.2 miles away); a different marker also named Fort Davis (approx. 9.2 miles away); a different marker also named Fort Davis (approx. 9.2 miles away); a different marker also named Fort Davis (approx. 9.2 miles away); Commanding Officer's Quarters (approx. 9.2 miles away); Sick Call (approx. 9.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fort Davis.

Also see . . .
1. University of Texas, McDonald Observatory website. (Submitted on January 15, 2010, by Richard Denney of Austin, Texas.)
2. Hobby-Eberly Telescope. The University of Texas McDonald Observatory

With its 11-meter (433-inch) mirror, the Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET) is one of the world's largest optical telescopes. It was designed specifically for spectroscopy, the decoding of light from stars and galaxies to study their properties. This makes it ideal in searching for planets around other stars, studying distant galaxies, exploding stars, black holes and more.

(Submitted on July 13, 2023, by Kayla Harper of Dallas, Texas.)

Photographed by Richard Denney, December 22, 2009

3. McDonald Observatory of the University of Texas Marker

Panorama Mt. Locke image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Richard Denney

4. Panorama Mt. Locke

Highest Point on Texas Highways image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Richard Denney, December 22, 2009

5. Highest Point on Texas Highways

Sign reads: Summit of Mount Locke, Highest Point on Texas Highways, This Elevation 6791, Elev. Valley Below 5280, TXDOT (Texas Department of Tranportation)

Harlan J. Smith plaque image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Richard Denney, December 22, 2009

6. Harlan J. Smith plaque

Plaque is inside the Harlan J. Smith telescope dome. The photographer -- Richard Denney -- is proud to note he took undergraduate astronomy from Dr. Smith in the 70s.

Harlan J. Smith telescope image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Richard Denney, December 22, 2009

7. Harlan J. Smith telescope

Lunar Laser Ranging image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Richard Denney, December 22, 2009

8. Lunar Laser Ranging

This plaque inside the Harlan J. Smith telescope dome describes experiments carried out with this telescope in bouncing laser beams off reflectors placed on the moon by Apollo 11.

McDonald Observatory image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Kayla Harper, July 8, 2023

9. McDonald Observatory

Hobby-Eberly Telescope image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Kayla Harper, July 8, 2023

10. Hobby-Eberly Telescope

Otto Struve Telescope image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Kayla Harper, July 8, 2023

11. Otto Struve Telescope

Credits. This page was last revised on July 19, 2023. It was originally submitted on January 12, 2010, by Richard Denney of Austin, Texas. This page has been viewed 1,744 times since then and 53 times this year. Last updated on July 17, 2023, by Kayla Harper of Dallas, Texas. Photos: 1. submitted on July 11, 2023, by Kayla Harper of Dallas, Texas. 2. submitted on July 17, 2023, by Kayla Harper of Dallas, Texas. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. submitted on January 15, 2010, by Richard Denney of Austin, Texas. 9, 10. submitted on July 11, 2023, by Kayla Harper of Dallas, Texas. 11. submitted on July 17, 2023, by Kayla Harper of Dallas, Texas. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.