FRED LAWRENCE WHIPPLE OBSERVATORY (FLWO)

Located near Mount Hopkins in the Santa Rita Mountains, less than 60 km south of Tucson, Arizona, the F. L. Whipple Observatory and its associated Visitor Center offer exhibitions and activities on astronomy and astrophysics, natural sciences and local culture. These exhibits include scale models of the major American telescopes, a three-dimensional map of the position of galaxies in the Universe, a topographic map of the region, the history of glasses and telescopes since their creation, explanations of the observatory's research, and explanations of the nightlife in this wild region of the United States. As is often the case in the American West, outdoor tours allow visitors to admire some Amerindian petroglyphs discovered on site during the construction of the buildings. In addition, binoculars and glasses are available for visitors to observe the surrounding mountains as well as the CMM observatories - at the top of nearby Mount Hopkins - and even Kitt Peak, located more than 80 km to the west! Rest areas and picnic areas are also available (a great classic in this country), and a discovery trail can be easily taken (pretty viewpoints to see absolutely). Amateur astronomers are not forgotten... and are even invited to come with their equipment to the "Astronomy Vista", a specially dedicated observation site, located about 2 km to the east, at an interesting altitude of 1,520 m (sky quality assured).

Guided tours of the observatory are generally organized for the general public on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from mid-March to November. They leave from the Visitor Center at 9am. They begin with a traditional video presentation, before a shuttle is made available for a departure to the observatory. Due to the limited number of places available, reservations are mandatory and can be made well in advance with the Visitor Center. The altitude at the top of Mount Hopkins is quite high (2,606 m!), so these visits are reserved for healthy people, especially since you need to walk at least once you arrive on site.