TUCSON, Ariz (KGUN) — We often like to tout Southern Arizona gems that lead the nation or are even unique in the world. This is one of those spaces: Kitt Peak National Observatory
You might remember, I paid a visit last year where they set the stage for what would be a groundbreaking new science center.
At the time it was an empty hallway with a whole lot of promise and potential. Here's the finished product in Dan's Discoveries.
"Is there any other facility like this where you can go inside of this type of telescope, this massive structure?" I asked Peter McMahon, Operations Manager at Kitt Peak.
"So, Dan, there's absolutely nothing else like this on earth in that it is the world's only science center inside the structure of a working telescope," he said.
Kitt Peak is throwing the doors wide open for the all new "Windows on the Universe Center" constructed inside of the McMath - Pierce Solar Telescope high above the desert west of Tucson and it was definitely worth the years-long wait.
"Let's go in. Come on in! This is awesome because previously this was just a dream. This is what we hoped to see. This will be cool..."
One of the docents or Operations Manager Peter McMahon, will walk you through the theater and into the hallway of discovery, describing just how special this space really is.
"By the time sunlight goes from this mirror down to the main mirror back to this table, it's traveled 800 ft," Peter said.
"This is possibly the longest telescope in the world and it's basically the size of the Statue of Liberty if you include the pedestal the Statue of Liberty is on."
You'll even walk in the literal footsteps of legendary figures in space exploration who used this telescope to prepare to break the bonds of gravity.
"The Apollo astronauts used that light, that view of the moon, possibly the most detailed optical view of the moon that you can get in the world still to this day, to plan and practice for their missions. They stood literally right where your shoes are and around this table here to study the moon to research what was needed for landing on the moon," Peter said.
On a recent sunny day at the new center, we saw tour after tour of visitors getting an up close look at everything these displays have to offer.
"It's educational and it begs the question, you know, what if, what is out there? What's next? What's the next step for mankind and it's pretty, uh, reminds you how small we are in this galaxy, this universe," Dave, a visitor from Pittsburgh, said.
"We've put all sorts of little nooks and crannies that you can explore to find out about the history of how and why certain things about our universe were discovered.You get to come to a telescope that really blurs the line between what is a telescope,what is an observatory,and what is a science center. They are one, " Peter said.
Learn more about Kitt Peak National Observatory here
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Dan Spindle co-anchors Good Morning Tucson on KGUN 9 and is an award-winning storyteller whose work has earned him honors from the Rocky Mountain Southwest Emmys, the Associated Press and the Utah Society of Professional Journalists for both anchoring and reporting. Dan is passionate about history and loves to explore the Grand Canyon State. Share your story ideas with Dan by emailing dan.spindle@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, or X.
