McDonald Observatory Microbox

McDonald Observatory

Placed By: Silver Eagle
Date: 03/08/05
Nearest Town: Fort Davis, TX
County: Jeff Davis
Terrain Difficulty: Easy (slight slope, 200 yards RT)
Recommended Ink: green & black
Status: alive (03/17/08)

McDonald Observatory, a research unit of The University of Texas at Austin, is one of the world's leading centers for astronomical research, teaching, and public education and outreach. Observatory facilities are located atop Mount Locke and Mount Fowlkes in the Davis Mountains of West Texas, which offer some of the darkest night skies in the continental United States. It contains several telescopes, including one of the world's largest, the Hobby-Eberly Telescope with its 9.2-meter (433-inch) mirror. At the Observatory Visitors Center, outreach events include star parties, public tours, K-12 teacher and student actvities, and more. For a great long-distance view of the observatory, go to Davis Mountains State Park, where this microbox is located.

Directions:

Davis Mountains State Park can be reached by traveling 1 mile north of Fort Davis on State Highway 17 to State Highway 118N, then west for 3 miles to Park Road 3 entrance on the left. Pay fee and continue on road to jct where you will go left on Skyline Drive. Drive up the mountain and near the top go right at another jct to the overlook. Park opposite the building with antennas.

Clues:

Walk on trail heading southwest with McDonald Observatory on your right in the distance. After about 100 yards you will come to a jct with an old road at a trail sign. Turn left (northeast) and go back up this old road for 25 steps to a small juniper bush on the left. Camo microbox is within the trunk under rocks. Please re-cover well.

NOTE: Always take adequate precautions (such as prodding with a stick and/or wearing gloves) before reaching into dark crevasses and holes in the wild. Before you set out read the waiver of responsibility and disclaimer.

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Last updated on 03/24/2008

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