Southern Arizona - American Southwest - page 470

470

Starry, Starry Nights

Southern Arizona's clear skies and the absence of lights in the surrounding
desert make the night sky here as brilliant as anywhere on earth. This fact has
not gone unnoticed by the world's astronomers, and consequently, southern
Arizona has come to be known as the Astronomy Capital of the World.
Many observatories are open to the public, but you'll need to make tour
reservations well in advance. In addition to the ones listed below, the Flandrau
Science Center & Planetarium (p. 382) in Tucson offers public viewings.
In Flagstaff, there are public viewing programs at the Lowell Observatory
(p. 558).
The Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory ( & 520/670-5707; www.cfa.
harvard.edu/facilities/flwo), atop 8,550-foot Mount Hopkins, is the largest
observatory operated by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. Six-hour
tours of the observatory are offered mid-March through November on Mon-
day, Wednesday, and Friday, and cost $7 for adults, $2.50 for children 6 to 12;
no children 5 or under are allowed. Reservations are required and should be
made 4 to 6 weeks in advance. No food is available here, so bring a picnic lunch.
The observatory's visitor center (Mon-Fri 8:30am-4:30pm; closed federal holi-
days) is located on Mount Hopkins Road, near Amado (take exit 56, off I-19,
turn left under the freeway; then right on E. Frontage Rd. and drive south 3
miles; turn left on Elephant Head Rd., and then right on Mount Hopkins Rd.).
Located in the Quinlan Mountains atop 6,875-foot Kitt Peak, Kitt Peak
National Observatory ( & 520/318-8732; www.noao.edu/kpno) is the
largest and most famous astronomical observatory in the region. This is the
area's only major observatory to offer public nighttime viewing. Day visitors,
however, must be content with a visitor center (daily 9am-3:45pm), museum,
and guided tour. Tours are held at 10 and 11:30am, and 1:30pm. Admission to
the visitor center is free; tours are $4 for adults ($7 all-day passes are also avail-
able) and $2.50 for children ages 6 to 12 ($4.50 for all-day pass). The observa-
tory is 56 miles southwest of Tucson, off Ariz. 86 (allow 90 min. for the drive).
Nighttime stargazing (reservations required, call & 520/318-8726; call 4-8
weeks in advance) costs $56 for adults; $41 for students and seniors. The visitor
center is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.

14

In Tubac
Tubac Golf Resort & Spa Value This economical golf resort is built on the
Otero Ranch, which dates back to 1789 and is the oldest Spanish land-grant ranch in the
Southwest. Today, with its green fairways, the resort is a lush oasis amid the dry hills of
the Santa Cruz Valley and is luxurious enough to compete with many of Tucson's resorts.
However, the Tubac Golf Resort has more a classic Southwestern ambience than most of
the Tucson golf resorts, and because it is fairly small, it has a low-key feel that I like. The
red-tile roofs and brick archways throughout the resort conjure up its Spanish heritage,
while guest rooms are spacious and modern and set amid expansive lawns. Casitas have
patios, beamed ceilings, and beehive fireplaces; newer rooms are worth requesting.