Arizona, New Mexico & the Grand Canyon Trips (Lonely Planet, 1st Edition) - Aaron Anderson [45]
Get ready for more awesome sights in red rock–studded Sedona. Ochser, former director of development at Lowell Observatory, says that during his time there he realized that the best way for newbies to see the stars would be in small groups with a high astronomer-to-visitor ratio. So, he started Evening Sky Tours. The astronomer-guides are friendly and knowledgeable and, best of all, they bring plenty of blankets. Like at all Arizona star parties, the recommended attire is a thick coat and hat. On good nights the stars look so close against the towering rocks of Sedona that seeing a big-eyed alien step out of a star onto a big rock wouldn’t be a huge surprise. “Sedona really does have some of the best skies in Arizona. We throw off very little light pollution here,” says Ochser.
For out-of-this-world eats after the tour, go to the ’50s-themed Red Planet Diner. Aliens float through the space as busts of Mr Spock and Obi-Wan Kenobi look on approvingly.
The next morning, ponder that at light speed it would take less than a second to drive to Tucson. A 230-mile drive, the Arizona Science Center in Phoenix is a good halfway point and the center will get restless kids worn out to a manageable level with its ever-popular “Grossology” exhibition, featuring oversized noses and other larger-than-life icky places. Afterwards, grab a gourmet salad or sandwich at the attached City Bakery at Arizona Science Center – if the Grossology exhibit didn’t kill your appetite.
Enjoy the brief stretch of desert and the odd pecan grove on the way to Tucson. About 50 miles east of Tucson off the I-10, gaze lovingly at the Astronomer’s Inn. The home of the Vega-Bray Observatory, there are four themed rooms here (one is outer space–themed) and guests can participate in nightly star viewings. The next morning, enjoy the third rock from the sun by splashing around on a small boat at the B&B’s private lake.
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EX-GUV SPOTS ALIENS
Fife Symington, ex-governor of Arizona, downplayed the March 1997 sightings of mysterious lights floating around the state. At a news conference he announced that he had found the culprit, and brought out one of his underlings dressed in an alien costume. Symington, who was under investigation for fraud at the time, admitted years later that he too saw the lights and is sure he saw an alien craft. He said he was afraid to start a panic.
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The next morning, head to the Titan Missile Museum, 24 miles south of Tucson. It’s an original Titan II missile site where a crew of two stood at the ready to launch a nuclear warhead within seconds of receiving a presidential order. Walking through several 3-ton blast doors, you enter the control room where you experience a simulated launch.
On the way back to the Astronomer’s Inn visit the Pima Air & Space Museum; walk down the steps of JFK’s Air Force One and wave like a president. Give yourself at least two hours to wander through the 275 aircraft on display.
Serious plane-spotters will enjoy the one-hour bus tour of the nearby 309th Aerospace Maintenance & Regeneration Center – aka the “boneyard” – where some 5000 aircraft are mothballed in the dry desert air. Because the tour is on an active military base, you need to make reservations at least one hour in advance and will have to show photo ID before getting on the bus. Tours depart from the Pima Air & Space Museum.
Finally, drive the winding road to Kitt Peak National Observatory. Near Sells, 56 miles southwest of Tucson, this 6875ft-high mountain top is a perfect site for one of the world’s largest observatories. It’s equipped with two radio and 23 optical telescopes, including one boasting a diameter of 12ft.
Guided one-hour tours go inside the building housing the telescopes but you don’t get to look