Away from all the light pollution of the big cities, the middle of west Texas has some of the clearest and darkest skies in North America, making it the perfect spot for an observatory. They have some of the biggest telescopes in the world here, perched on the peak of 6791ft Mt Locke and so enormous you can spot them from miles away.
A day pass gets you a guided tour (11am and 2pm) that includes close-up peeks at – but not through – the 2.7m Harlan J Smith Telescope and the 11m Hobby-Eberly Telescope, as well as a solar viewing, where you get to stare at the sun without scorching your eyeballs. On Tuesday, Friday and Saturday nights, the star parties help you see the night sky in a whole new way. Call ahead: reservations are required for all programs.
The observatory is 19 miles northwest of Fort Davis. Allow 30 minutes to drive from town.
