Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter Observatory, Mount Lemmon

This is a review of the SkyNights public outreach program at the observatory: overall an enjoyable and interesting experience, which I think could be improved with some small changes. The light dinner (bagged cold sandwiches with chips and cookies) seemed unnecessary, and perhaps the tickets could be made cheaper (and thus, more accessible) by eliminating this step. I would also prefer the group sizes to be capped at 15 or lower, instead of 20, since some people are unbearably slow and there ended up being a lot of sitting and waiting inside of the crowded observatory. Still, the student hosts did a great job explaining the science and helping to teach the public. Tips for tourists: 1) Leave from Tucson with plenty of extra time. The drive up Mount Lemon is beautiful, and there are lots of scenic places to stop for pictures. 2) It get super cold at night on top of a mountain in the desert. If you're from out of town, you probably didn't pack your winter clothes. No problem, just stop by any of the many Goodwill thrift stores around town and buy some cheap coats, and donate them back before you leave. 3) The coolest things to see through the observatory's telescope are definitely the moon and any of the planets. Unfortunately, none of these were visible in the night sky when we visited. You may want to do some googling ahead of time and plan your visit around when these astronomical objects will be available.

Tour and stargazing was incredible — the students who led our session were delightful and very knowledgeable. Learned a lot and got the best view of our universe I’ve ever had! Definitely worth a visit when you’re in Tucson 🌌