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Kitt Peak

22 April 2006: Kitt Peak Observatory, Tucson AZ (31° 58′ N 111° 36′ W)

My wife and I traveled from Virginia to Arizona to attend the Advanced Observing Program at the Kitt Peak Observatory. If you ever get the chance to do this I would highly recommend it. The staff is fantastic and the views are breath taking.

Our main objective was to do some CCD imaging. However when we got to the top of the mountain (elevation of 7,000 ft.) we discovered a sustained wind of approximately 20 miles per hour, with gust as high as 40 mph. We were initially disappointed because the wind made it impossible to do any imaging, however we spent the first few hours picking the brain of Flynn Haase the resident expert on astrophotography and our guide for the night.

After getting all the information we could absorb, Flynn asked if we wanted to do some viewing through the 20 inch telescope – of course we said yes. What we saw took our breath away.

Here is what we saw that night:

  • Saturn and its moon Titan
  • Jupiter and four of its moons (Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto)
  • Globular Cluster M-5
  • Globular Cluster M-13
  • Spiral Galaxy M-65
  • Spiral Galaxy M-66
  • Sombrero Galaxy M-104
  • Whirlpool Galaxy M-51
  • Ring Nebula M-57

We also saw a double star and a comet that I can’t remember the names of as well as a Quasar that was 3 billion light years away! We saw the International Space Station (ISS) fly over and of course the Milky Way Galaxy.

In addition to viewing through the telescope we also had a lesson in binocular viewing. Although the wind was quite strong we did mange to see the following:

  • Capella (Star)
  • Sirius (Star)
  • Bootes (Star)
  • Polaris (North Star)
  • Constellation of Leo
  • Constellation of Ursa Major (Big Dipper)
  • Constellation of Ursa Minor (Little Dipper)
  • Virgo (Star)
  • Beehive Cluster M-44

So, even though the wind made imaging a bust the overall experience was great. It’s a great group of people and the program is well worth the money. The views before dark aren’t bad either. The mountain and surrounding landscape are beautiful and once the Sun goes down it gets dark, I mean really dark! The number of stars that can be seen is unbelievable.

 

 

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