Kitt Peak: World’s Largest Telescopes Near Tucson

CORONADO

Yeah. This has got to be a shock. You expect Sine to be the one talking about the scopes at Kitt Peak. Don’t worry. He’ll be here in a minute. Or, click on down to the links. But, man, I am finding out stuff that just blows me away. I know the Hopi were the last tribe in Arizona to okay casino gambling as part of their operation, but where we’re at near Kitt Peak, we might as well be in the executive suite for Las Vegas. Poor Aura. Romantic notions about Indian customs and superstitions. The reservation Kitt Peak is on is huge. And because the feds moved some of the tribe when they built a reservoir, the tribe got a deal where they can compensate by picking up land in other locations. So they not only have two casinos near Tucson and one by Ajo that’s halfway to Yuma, but another one by Phoenix. The res used to be even bigger than that before the US and Mexico split it. I guess that’s why they don’t want the Mexican border wall. Their capital is in Sells, pretty close to the scopes. They’ve got to be doing pretty good with the casinos, money, employment. And little Aura is fixated on how they make wine from knocking the fruits off saguaro cactus.

SINE

Heh –

CORONADO

Oh, here they are.

AURA

The wine, right. And have you seen the baskets.

CORONADO

Baskets.

AURA

They make more baskets than any other tribe. Gorgeous.

CORONADO

Very handy for carrying around all the dough they must make. God, they’ve got us down alright. A bunch of dumb gamblers. I don’t even want to talk about the stock market right now.

AURA

Nobody’s asking you to talk about the stock market, alright ?

SINE

These telescopes are out of this world. We were watching the sun until a few minutes ago.

CORONADO

Is it gonna get us yet? I’ve been frying out here.

SINE

Let’s wait for the stars to come out.

AURA

There’s a little place down the road in Sells where you can see what real Indian food is like.

SINE

They serve dinner here for the night visitors.

AURA

We’ll get back in time. You’ll see.

CORONADO

I think I’ve gone to Auraland.

World’s Largest Telescopes Near Tucson

Kitt Peak National Observatory (National Optical Astronomy Observatories) is 44 miles SW of Tucson, AZ on AZ 86, then 12 miles S on AZ386. It’s the world’s largest collection of ground-based optical telescopes; 36-, 50-, 84- and 158-inch stellar telescopes and also hosts the world’s largest solar telescope (60 in). Looking at the night sky from the bottom of the Canyon is one thing. This is something else.

● Kitt Peak - Visitor Center & Museum

● Hours, Fees, Directions