KITT PEAK EXPERIENCE.....LIKE NO OTHER

KITT PEAK EXPERIENCE......LIKE NO OTHER

Friday, Aprill 17

NOTE:   Sadly we had to bid farewell to Jerry and Anna Lee.  I will try to work on the blog when we have internet access.  Joann

 

 

The world’s largest collection of optical telescopes is located high above the Sonoran Desert under some of the finest night skies in the world. Kitt Peak, on the Tohono O’odham Reservation in the Quinlan Mountains southwest of Tucson in the Arizona-Sonoran desert, is home to twenty-four optical and two radio telescopes representing eight astronomical research institutions the largest diverse number of astronomical instruments in the world.

 

 

The observatory site was selected in 1958 and land was leased from the Tohono O’odham under a perpetual agreement      

Joe Grissilo (one of our caravan leaders) volunteers at the site and was our docent for the day.

  In the morning we hiked up the cold, windy hill to the 4 meter telescope.  When this telescope saw "first light" (first astronomical observations) in 1973, it was the second largest telescope in the World.  The largest was on Mt. Palomar.  Though it is now only the 26th largest, it is still in high demand.  The advance in the power of the detectors has allowed the older telescopes to still yield significant scientific results.  In three years, DOE will be taking over exclusive use of the telescope for a five year period.  The DESI (Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument) will allow DOE to pursue the source of dark energy.

Joe Explains how Solar Telescope functions

After a picnic lunch and with warmer temperatures and less wind, we walked to the McMath-Pierce solar telescope.  Though it is 53 years old this year, it is still the largest solar telescope in the World.  It is actually three telescopes in the same structure.  It is its unique design that allows study of the Sun in the infra-red spectrum.  Instruments also include two large spectrographs.  It is also used at night to study the atmospheres of Mercury, Venus and Mars

 

 

Solar Telescope

 

While we were looking through the glass partition at the sun and seeing the sun spots reflected down on paper through the tunnel, the telescope operator invited us in to see the place where experiments take place. 

inside Solar Telescope tower
 

 

At the Visitors Center there were interesting exhibits about the history of the Kitt Peak Observatory.  Also displayed were extraordinary photographs taken through some of the telescopes.

 

 

A full day of activities was followed by an outstanding dinner at the Guadalajara Grill with entertaining muscisians.  Food was plentiful, delicious and served in an excellent manner.  Some of the non-designated drivers enjoyed 32 ounce margaritas!!!