We visited the McDonald Observatory on a recent Saturday night to attend one of their Star Parties and had a fabulous time. The Party begins in the outdoor amphitheater with a talk by one of the staff about what you will be able to see in the night sky. They point out a few constellations, discuss how the telescopes are arranged, and lay out the ground rules for the night (no flashlights, try to avoid using headlights in the parking lot, turn off cell phones, etc.). There are several telescopes set up in the telescope garden and each is staffed by an astronomer. They try to pick out a few interesting objects and point one or two at the moon if it is visible. On the night we visited we were able to view the moon, Jupiter and three of its moons, and two large star clusters. The astronomers were very enthusiastic and friendly. There was a very large crowd there the night of our visit, but we waited no more than 5 or 10 minutes at each telescope. The cafe inside the Visitor's Center opens one hour before the Star Party so you can purchase snacks, coffee or hot chocolate before or during the event. Dress warmly! It can be very cold up on the mountain. It was well worth the $10 per person.