Eye to the Sky

Tour Kitt Peak National Observatory for an out-of-this world experience

Arizona is widely known as one of the best places in the country to see cacti, but did you know the Copper State is also a premier destination for seeing stars?

About 55 miles southwest of Tucson, high above the Sonoran Desert, sits Kitt Peak National Observatory, a sprawling compound that's home to 24 telescopes -- the world's largest collection -- representing eight astronomical research institutions.

The 12-mile drive up to the peak, located in the Quinlan Mountains, is quite pleasant, and as you ascend to 6,875 feet altitude the desert terrain and arid climate eventually give way to dense vegetation and cooler temperatures.

The observatory might take you by surprise when, after miles of careful zigzagging, you round the corner to find yourself caught in the mighty shadow of the Mayall 4-meter telescope - Kitt Peak's largest and most powerful instrument.

Take one of three daytime tours, or a self-guided tour, to see the observatory's campus and telescopes.  If you do strike out on your own, take note of the quiet zones - here, scientists conduct research by night and sleep during the day.

Make the visitor center your first stop to purchase tour tickets, pick up a map, or browse the selection of space-related souvenirs in the gift shop.

Visit the museum for a comprehensive introduction to the world of high-powered space telescopes.  The design of these instruments is obviously very complex, but essentially, reflecting telescopes use mirrors, light, and focal points to bring the farthest reaches of the universe into focus.  The human eye has a very limited scope of vision, whereas telescopes can see the entirety of the electromagnetic spectrum.

A Peek from the Peak

Although Kitt Peak has 24 optical and two radio telescopes guided tours only showcase three - the Mayall 4-meter, the 2.1-meter, and the McMath-Pierce Solar.  In the indoor viewing areas, you can get up close and personal to these enormous technological marvels, learn about special experiments and notable historic achievements the telescopes have been part of, see photographs of their construction, and even learn about maintenance and cleaning.

For an opportunity to actually look up into the heavens through the telescopes, sign up for a nightly stargazing program, or an overnight observation program.

A visit to Kitt Peak is an eye-opening experience - a reminder of how vast, beautiful, and complex the universe is - and, as science reaches farther into its depths than ever before, this national observatory allows you to be part of it.