Frank N. Bash Visitors Center - McDonald Observatory, TX
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Raven
N 30° 40.793 W 104° 01.485
13R E 593415 N 3394531
The Frank N. Bash Visitors Center is the is the public outreach center for the McDonald Observatory in the Davis Mountains of West Texas (~10 NW of Fort Davis, TX).
Waymark Code: WMT73T
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 10/06/2016
Views: 1
The Frank N. Bash Visitors Center at the McDonald Observatory in the Davis Mountains of West Texas (roughly 10mi NW of Fort Davis, TX) officially opened in 2002. Originally known simply as the "McDonald Observatory Visitors Center", it was re-named to "Frank N. Bash" in July 22, 2006 in honor of Dr. Frank Bash who served as the observatory's Director from 1989-2003 (as well as interim Director from 1989 to 1991).
The McDonald Observatory is one the world's foremost astronomical research institutions and a pioneer in public outreach and informal science education. It is associated with the University of Texas at Austin, working closely with its Astronomy department. The observatory also produces StarDate, a daily syndicated radio astronomy segment that airs on more than 360 stations throughout the United States.
The visitor's center houses exhibits related to both the observatory and astronomy general, a theater, and a café (appropriately named "StarDate Café"). It is also the meeting point for " Star Party nights", special evenings where visitors can gaze into the stars using some of the observatory's telescopes... up to and including the original 82" Otto Struve telescope, one of the jewels of the observatory
More information on the Visitor's Center can be found its
official website.
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