Can't Close the Cosmos

Magical West Texas attraction reopens to the public for spectacular stargazing

The observatory's signature star parties will resume August 28.

Photo by Ethan Tweedie Photography, McDonald Observatory/Facebook

After closing on March 13 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the University of Texas at Austin's McDonald Observatory is reopening to the public on Friday, August 28.

The acclaimed West Texas observatory, named one of the best places in the U.S. to see stars, will require online reservations during this initial reopening phase. Tickets go on sale August 24, and all outdoor programs will be held at 25 percent capacity.

"It is a pleasure to welcome visitors back to McDonald Observatory for our iconic programs that immerse our guests in astronomy, our very dark night skies, and the visible cosmos," says director Taft Armandroff in a release. "Our team at the Frank N. Bash Visitors Center is eager to host you."

Beginning with a "star party" on August 28, observatory visitors will be provided with scheduled entry tickets to allow time for cleaning between programs. Visitors will drive their own vehicles to the summit of Mount Locke for daytime guided tours; shuttle transportation will not be provided.

To ensure the safety of its visitors and staff, the observatory is taking additional steps:

Packaged food and drinks will be available for purchase, but no food will be prepared on site.
Frequently touched surfaces such as door handles and tabletops will be cleaned twice daily with bleach or alcohol-based solutions.
Hand-sanitizing stations will be provided.
Public restrooms will be treated as single occupancy.
New signs will be posted reminding everyone of best hygiene practices.

The observatory will continue to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and to heed the advice of national, state, and local health authorities. If the situation improves, the observatory may increase the capacity of public programs and start holding some programs indoors.

Since it closed to the public five months ago, the observatory has been livestreaming new programs to interact with astronomy lovers. These popular Deep Sky Tours, Moon Tours, and Solar Tours will continue once the visitors center reopens for onsite public programs.

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Airport News

South Dallas' Bonton Farms to do innovative storefront at DFW Airport

DFW Airport

Bonton Farms stand at DFW Airport

South Dallas-based Bonton Farms is bringing some of its farm-fresh goods to the airport. According to a release, the urban farm and cafe will open a travel essentials store at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport.

The store will be located in Terminal A and offer jams, jellies, sauces, and fresh goods — part of a partnership between DFW Airport and Marshall Retail Group (MRG).

This will be the first Bonton Farms location outside of its flagship at 6911 Bexar St. The market is slated to open in 2026 after an expansion of Terminal A is completed.

Through this collaboration, Bonton Farms will be able to offer its sustainable products to not just local residents but also global travelers.

“We are deeply grateful for this groundbreaking partnership with WHSmith and DFW Airport,” says Bonton Farms president Gabrielle Madison in a statement. “This opportunity is transformative not only for our organization but also for the Bonton community. For many residents, this may be their first connection with the airport — whether through new employment opportunities or even, one day, becoming concession vendors themselves."

In addition to Bonton Farms’ offerings, the new store will offer other sustainable products from North Texas businesses. Some of the featured local vendors include:

Sons Coffee: Specialty coffee from Fort Worth featuring freshly brewed drip coffee
Lettuce Cook: Gourmet grab-and-go salads and sandwiches from Fort Worth
Pearl Honey Spreads: A woman/minority-owned business in Fort Worth specializing in honey-based treats

“Our partnership with DFW aligns with our company’s mission to deliver hyper-local products in partnership with emerging local businesses to global travelers," says Roddy McOwan, chief development officer at WHSmith North America, which owns MRG, in a statement.

“We are thrilled to award this exciting new contract to MRG and Bonton Farms as part of our ongoing effort to expand DFW's world-class shopping and dining options,” says Ken Buchanan, DFW's executive VP of revenue management and customer experience, in a statement. “This partnership underscores our commitment to supporting small, diverse, and locally rooted businesses — enabling them to tap into the airport’s economic growth as we expand our concessions footprint.”

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