{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "TouristAttraction",
  "id": "mcdonald-observatory",
  "name": "McDonald Observatory (Fort Davis)",
  "shortName": "McDonald Observatory",
  "region": "Davis Mountains, TX",
  "country": "Canada",
  "administrativeArea": "Ontario",
  "coordinates": {
    "latitude": 30.6714,
    "longitude": -104.0247
  },
  "timezone": "America/Chicago",
  "bortleClass": 2,
  "summary": "Research observatory with public Star Parties three nights a week.",
  "intro": "McDonald Observatory is a working research observatory perched in the Davis Mountains, and its public Star Parties are the real thing — evenings under some of the darkest skies in the continental US, with research-grade telescopes pointed at the same objects the astronomers study by day.",
  "established": null,
  "drivingFromToronto": "Fly into El Paso or Midland-Odessa, then drive 2.5–4 hours to Fort Davis, TX.",
  "bestTime": "Book Star Party tickets well ahead — they regularly sell out, especially around spring break and holidays.",
  "highlights": [
    "Working research observatory with public evening Star Parties",
    "Frank N. Bash Visitor Center anchors daytime and evening programs",
    "Sits at high elevation in the Davis Mountains, among the darkest skies in the US"
  ],
  "tips": [
    "Reserve Star Party tickets at least three weeks ahead",
    "Cell service is spotty to nonexistent nearby — reliable service is generally limited to Fort Davis, Alpine and Marfa",
    "The observatory is open Tuesday–Saturday, 12–5 p.m. for daytime visits; evening programs are separate"
  ],
  "whatToSee": "Planets, star clusters and deep-sky objects through the observatory's public telescopes, plus a naked-eye Milky Way overhead.",
  "source": {
    "label": "McDonald Observatory — Frequently Asked Questions",
    "url": "https://mcdonaldobservatory.org/visitors/faq"
  },
  "links": {
    "app": "https://ontarionightsky.com/?site=mcdonald-observatory",
    "forecastJson": "https://ontarionightsky.com/sites/mcdonald-observatory.json",
    "forecastText": "https://ontarionightsky.com/sites/mcdonald-observatory.txt",
    "directionsGoogle": "https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=McDonald%20Observatory%20(Fort%20Davis)&travelmode=driving",
    "directionsApple": "https://maps.apple.com/?daddr=McDonald%20Observatory%20(Fort%20Davis)&dirflg=d"
  },
  "attribution": {
    "app": "Clear Night Planner — Ontario Night Sky",
    "url": "https://ontarionightsky.com/?site=mcdonald-observatory",
    "license": "Editorial content © Clear Night Planner. Data freely citable with link back."
  }
}