KITT PEAK, AZ — You can finally go visit another important Southern Arizona attraction again. Kitt Peak Astronomical Observatory is welcoming visitors from all over the world. First the COVID-19 pandemic, then the aftermath of a serious wildfire back in June 2022 kept the observatory closed to visitors for about three years.
Kitt Peak National Observatory has a very strong science history but a strong science future too. That future was in jeopardy from a terrible wildfire about a year ago. Now this place is open again and ready for visitors.
Kitt Peak has been a world center for astronomy for 65 years. Its telescopes get regular updates to bring in fresh, modern science.
But starting in June and July of last year the Contreras Fire burned right up to the telescopes and other buildings.
Firefighters did heroic work and saved it all.
“Every time I come up here I have this feeling of gratitude that we are back here doing science and welcoming back the public.”
Associate Director Dr. Michelle Edwards says about two months after the fire astronomers were able to get back to work but with improvised systems at first, like generators for electricity.
“We actually had what we call the sneakernet. We had no internet. So people were running data back to Tucson to actually upload it into our systems. And so, but now we're back to full science with, you know, power, with water, with internet," said Dr. Edwards.
But fire damage to the road, and especially the guardrails made the road too dangerous for visitors. The Arizona Department of Transportation has fixed that now, so tourists are welcome again.
People from all over the world visit the mountaintop.
Alan Goldstein and his wife are in from Virginia on a nearly four-month tour of the country. Kitt Peak was a priority for their stop in the Tucson area.
Goldstein describes the experience as, “Amazing, just simply amazing, you know, we just started this tour so I’m anxious to see what we’re going to see.”
Marty Post says, “I lived in Arizona back in the late 70s and this is my first time back and I wanted to go back and see what I saw when I was a young woman living in Phoenix.”
And now Kitt Peak is open again to let visitors see the beauty of the setting and learn the beauty of the science.
Kitt Peak welcomes visitors Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets are $20. Space is limited so observatory workers say please visit the Kitt Peak website to make a reservation.
