Observatories of the Southwest

A Guide for Curious Skywatchers A unique companion for travelers to the Southwest and a must for anyone fascinated with the role of these observatories in deepening our understanding of the universe, this book offers an in-depth look at each of these facilities and their features. Palomar Observatory, North San Diego County, California: Home of the 200-inch Hale Telescope, an incon of 20th century engineering prowess. Kitt Peak National Observatory, Land of the Tohono O'odham Nation, near Tucson, Arizona: Featuring the world's largest collection of research telescopes on one mountain. Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff, Arizona: One of the earliest scientific outposts in the Territory of Arizona, founded in 1894 and still fostering front-line research today. Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory, Amado Arizona: From an iconic founder to the monolithic second-generation MMT telescope and a 340 million megapixel digital camera. National Radio Astronomy Observatory Very Large Array, Socorro, New Mexico: Using radio waves gathered by giant telescope dishes to explore the birthplaces of stars and planets and the environs of black holes. The Observatories of Sacramento Peak, Sunspot, New Mexico: Pioneering solar studies and the site of the most comprehensive sky survey to date. McDonald Observatory, Fort Davis, Texas: Powerful telescopes and spectrographs help assemble the story of how chemical elements are made and dispersed throughout the universe. Mount Graham International Observatory, near Safford, Arizona: Showcasing the Large Binocular Telescope, whose twin mirrors on one mount combine to give it more light-gathering power than any other telescope in the world.