Stargazing in Texas

[txnese]

Looking for a good space to camp and see stars. I hear Big Bend National Park is great place, but it's about 8-9 hour drive for me. Hoping to find something no more than 4-5 hours outside of Houston, something about 50-100 east of Austin or San Antonio. Any suggestions? Thank you in advance.

[txnese]

Thanks for the input everyone. We’re leaning towards Fort Mckavett near Junction, TX. Not too many campgrounds to pick from though. I’m still a few weeks from going, so if y’all have any other suggestions, keep them coming. Thanks again.

[Team_Triton]

We did Fort Davis during the dark of the moon in August a few years ago. Nothing like it. Drive the extra miles and do the star party at the observatory.

[rseymour21]

wolfe10 wrote:

ronfisherman wrote:
While it is further than your request. The McDonald Observatory is a great place to view. We stayed at Davis Mountain State Park while visiting.

Very good choice, one of our top choices. But again long way out there.

As already stated, you need BOTH: low humidity and secondarily elevation.

I agree! Davis Mountain SP is one of the best in Texas. I do wish it were closer!

[DRTDEVL]

ppine wrote:

DRTDEVL wrote:

ppine wrote:
Low humidity, elevation above sea level and remoteness all help stargazing. In central Texas you can have one of them. In West Texas you can have two of them. In Nevada or Utah you can have all three.

No, in West Texas you can have all three. Head out near Alpine and Marfa. Elevation 4,600, desert levels of humidity, and extremely remote, as its the northern edge of Big Bend Country. It knocks a couple hours off the trip to the BBNP, yet leaves the same level of stargazing.

My house is at 5,000 feet.
Have you ever seen the Milky Way at 12,000 feet?

I live at 4600' in southern NM, and I will be camping at 9200 feet starting tomorrow.

And yes, I have seen the milky way from extreme altitudes.

[BB_TX]

Here is some good info on TX star gazing.

[fixn2gocamp]

Try Copper Breaks State park at Quanah Tx. It is a certified Dark Skies park.

[wolfe10]

ronfisherman wrote:
While it is further than your request. The McDonald Observatory is a great place to view. We stayed at Davis Mountain State Park while visiting.

Very good choice, one of our top choices. But again long way out there.

As already stated, you need BOTH: low humidity and secondarily elevation.

[Bordercollie]

I was in my backyard in Orange County, CA a few years ago trying to spot the Andromeda Nebula with my "department store telescope" and finally spotted the small gray smudge. The same night I spotted a huge elongated black triangle, with tiny white lights along the edges, slowly floating over and gradually disappearing. I couldn't identify it, it was huge and at some altitude, and it was a black object against the night sky, I suppose it was a UFO. Hard to see anything in city light pollution.

[ppine]

DRTDEVL wrote:

ppine wrote:
Low humidity, elevation above sea level and remoteness all help stargazing. In central Texas you can have one of them. In West Texas you can have two of them. In Nevada or Utah you can have all three.

No, in West Texas you can have all three. Head out near Alpine and Marfa. Elevation 4,600, desert levels of humidity, and extremely remote, as its the northern edge of Big Bend Country. It knocks a couple hours off the trip to the BBNP, yet leaves the same level of stargazing.

My house is at 5,000 feet.
Have you ever seen the Milky Way at 12,000 feet?

[IDman]

We were at Hord's Lake campground near Coleman, Tx. a couple of weeks ago and their was no light pollution. The stars were beautiful!

Also, the CG is really nice.

[BB_TX]

I would go a little farther west than the Kerrville and Fredericksburg areas. We have hunted south of Fredericksburg for the last 49 years. It still gets pretty dark, and some nights with clear dry skies the milky way is very visible. But light pollution is creeping in. You can definitely see a "glow" coming from the east/southeast.

[DRTDEVL]

ppine wrote:
Low humidity, elevation above sea level and remoteness all help stargazing. In central Texas you can have one of them. In West Texas you can have two of them. In Nevada or Utah you can have all three.

No, in West Texas you can have all three. Head out near Alpine and Marfa. Elevation 4,600, desert levels of humidity, and extremely remote, as its the northern edge of Big Bend Country. It knocks a couple hours off the trip to the BBNP, yet leaves the same level of stargazing.

[ronfisherman]

ron.dittmer wrote:
While in Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park, we attended a night ranger talk about light polution. He said the park is one of a few public parks in the country where man-made light polution is at it's least. The stars out at night were tremendous.

Our zero gravity chairs come along on our trips primarily for star gazing.

We attended a similar ranger talk at Big Bend National Park.

[ron_dittmer]

While in Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park, we attended a night ranger talk about light polution. He said the park is one of a few public parks in the country where man-made light polution is at it's least. The stars out at night were tremendous.

Our zero gravity chairs come along on our trips primarily for star gazing.