Continued Closure of McDonald Observatory

McDonald Observatory is announcing today that it will remain closed to the public beyond the previously announced date, April 19, based on Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s March 31 executive order extending school closures and other mitigation measures into May due to the continuing public health crisis posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Public programs at the observatory remain on hold and no tickets will be sold until a re-opening date is decided and published. The re-opening date will be determined based on the recommendation of officials at The University of Texas at Austin and health experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as state and local health authorities.

Science operations continue at the observatory; for details on our current status see the recent Message from the Director.