EAGLE EYE OBSERVATORY

It's a tiny "observatory", probably the size of the garage. They have two small professional telescopes, but it really depends on the weather. We had the cloudy sky and were shown a couple of galaxy pictures from the computer. The presentation could be improved a lot and made much more engaging, at least for kids. I'd probably recommend McDonald observatory instead. This one not worth your time and money.

We had a great visiting the small Eagle Eye Observatory in the Canyon of the Eagles. The astronomer there, Phil, was very knowledgeable and made the explanations of the different stars and star clusters that we saw there very interesting. We even got to see a bunch of meteors from the residual Orionid meteor shower serendipitously. Mind you, the road to that place from Burnet, RM 2341, is pretty dark lonely and curving but it was definitely worth the drive 1.5 hr drive from Austin. Just be sure to purchase the General ticket online. The final observatory from the Canyon Entrance gate is to the right and is a small gravel road up to the hilltop with redlight markers. You can also bring and setup your own telescopes if you're interested but using the ones inside is better.

The observatory was dark and quiet, the man giving the speech was very informative but not for the kiddos, it was more entertaining for the adults who make smart remarks which the instructor didn't seem to enjoy. Our kids fell asleep 15 mins in so bring a blanket because it was a bit chilly at night. Seats are limited and uncomfortable. You will learn something.

Very cool experience! READ THE SITE before you go to be prepared, if it's your first time going. Got to see vivid detail of some stars and learn a lot about the beautiful galaxy in relation to our planet! Worth the drive/go.

My partner and I visited on a Friday night in June, and while we were unfortunately not able to see many planets (only Mars, which was far away at that point), we still learned a lot about star formations, planetary orbits, and were able to see some really cool star clusters! Our GPS originally took us to the lodge, so we got a bit turned around before finding the little signs pointing toward the observatory. The drive up is quite narrow and rocky, so keep that in mind when picking a car to drive up in! The astronomer is a bit terse and can be short when answering questions, but overall it was a good experience.

This was a wonderful experience! We were given a tour guide of our very own night sky, by a highly skilled and informative astronomer, while getting a chance to look at nearby planets, stars, and constellations with his advanced telescopes.

What a great place to see the stars! And planets, and galaxy's. Worth the small cost, and yes, keep driving, you'll get there (Google maps is correct). Do it before it gets hot, or not cause it's at night. Loved it!

Closest dark sky area near Austin for stargazing. The viewing session was so cool and informative.