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Kitt Peak National Observatory950 N. Cherry Ave www.noao.edu |
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The world’s largest collection of optical telescopes is located high above the Sonoran Desert. Kitt Peak, on the Tohono O’odham Reservation, is home to twenty-two optical and two radio telescopes representing dozens of astronomical research institutions. The national Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO), funded by the National Science Foundation, oversees site operations on Kitt Peak.
Explore the Kitt Peak Visitor Center and learn the history of optical astronomy. Take a tour and learn how astronomers use telescopes to unlock the mysteries of the Universe. Visit the National Solar Observatory exhibit gallery and watch scientists operate the world’s largest solar telescope. |
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| Location: | 90 minutes west from downtown Tucson on State Route 86, Ajo Way |
| Parking: | Free parking is available at the Visitors Center |
| Hours of operation: | Open Daily, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visitor Center closes at 3:45 p.m. |
| Admission fees: | Free |
| Membership: | No |
| Handicapped access: | Yes |
| Lunch facilities: | Picnic area with pavilion. There are no food services on the mountain. |
| Gift shop: | Yes, 10 students are permitted in the store at a time |
| Curriculum relevance: | Science, Nature, Astronomy, Physics, Project ASTRO |
| Contact person: | Robert Wilson, 318-8440 (both are local calls in Tucson) Rich Fedele, 318-8163 |
| Arranging a Visit: |
For a tour with no guided activity, please call the Visitor Center at 318-8726.
For a tour with guided educational activity, please call 318-8440 to arrange. |
| Tour description: |
An average docent-led tour lasts one hour. Students are taken in various telescopes, such as the McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope, the Mayall 4-meter telescope, or the 2.1-meter telescope.
Special fee-based science classes are also conducted on the mountain. Please call 318-8440 for more information. |
| Other resources: |
Pre-visit curriculum is provided for all scheduled groups by request. Guided tours may be tailored to meet the needs of a class curriculum and state science standards.
Groups may reserve the Visitor Center Dome for nightly viewing. This is a fee-based program, and reservations are required. NOAO is a Project ASTRO site. |
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Outreach programs Fee-based tours and observing programs exist depending upon availability of staff. Nighttime viewing outreach programs also exist. Please call for information. |
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page last updated November 08, 2001 09:48 AM |
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