I am pretty sure as a kid you would lay out on your back at night and look up at the stars. I know I sure did.
I spent countless nights trying pearing up at the sky and wondering what shapes the stars revealed, if anybody else was up there, and if there was any way to bring the moon buggy home.
After growing up I seemed to have lost touch with that childhood curiosity but it was never forgotten.
There is a small coveted group of people called astronomers who never lost sight of what lies beyond the clouds though.
And you can revisit that curiosity with them at Kitt Peak National Observatory!
The Prefect Place to Re-kindle Your Childhood Curiosity with the Stars
The climate and weather make are ideal for sky gazing in Southern Arizona. Crystal clear skies, high elevation, and dry air make the stars so bright it feels as if you can reach out and touch them. At times if you look up you can actually see the white band of the milky way!
That is why southern Arizona has the highest concentration of telescopes in the world. Kitt Peak is infamous as on top of this one mountain there are 24 telescopes!
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Kitt Peak is just a short drive west of Tucson on the Tohono O’odham Nation’s Reservation. The collection of telescope facilities are atop the second highest mountain in the Tohono O’odham reservation at over 6,000 feet.
A short drive up the paved road to the top of the mountain reveals the telescopes and a breath taking view. The weather is typically nice though can be just a little bit on the chilly side depending on the time of year you visit so make sure to bring a coat along.
Planning Your Trip to Kitt Peak
For just a few bucks you and several of your friends can have a really fun day on Kitt Peak. The observatory is open to the public from 9 AM to 4 PM daily. Guided tours are under $10 per person and last for about an hour.
If you prefer to go at your own pace you can walk through several of the telescopes which have visitor areas. You are even able to download free audio tours to play on your MP3 player while you are walking through the telescopes.
Click here for tour schedules and free downloadable audio tours of Kitt Peak
What to Do Next
I am not inviting you to contact me. I am telling you right now if you are interested in Southern Arizona get a hold of me. I am happy to tell you about the area and fun places to adventure. There are several ways you can contact me,
- Call me at 520-344-3481
- Email me at matthew (at) keystoaz.com
- Leave a comment at the bottom of this page
I promise I will get back with you as soon as possible and look forward to chatting with you.