The NYT Spends 36 Hours in Tucson - Including the Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter

Read the full New York Times article here.

Famed for its night skies, Tucson is surrounded by mountaintop observatories, where the Smithsonian, the Vatican and the National Science Foundation, among others, operate telescopes. For a 101-level intro to the cosmos, watch the 45-minute “Touring the Solar System” or “Tucson Sky & Beyond” at the University of Arizona’s Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium’s theater ($14 for show-only ticket; $26.95 includes entry to exhibits). More dedicated stargazers, including kids, will enjoy the afternoon-into-evening, dinner-included programming at nearby observatories on sky islands (isolated high-elevation peaks; you’ll want to wear your winter layers): Mount Lemmon SkyCenter from ($60), a little more than an hour’s drive northeast of town, and Kitt Peak National Observatory (from $71) slightly farther to the southwest. At both sites, scientists lead generally staggering viewings through giant telescopes.