Kitt Peak National Observatory

Kitt Peak is just over an hour from downtown Tucson on Tohono O'odham Nation land. The drive up to the observatory is breathtaking. There are a few unofficial spots you can pull over and view the area for many, many miles. There isn't any food at the top but you can buy some premade sandwiches and a drink at the visitors center. There are public bathrooms at the top too. If you bring your own food for a picnic, note that the official picnic area, which is about a mile before reaching the visitor center, is closed and has been for the two times I went up in 2024 which were spread out. I suspect it's permanently closed. There are a couple of picnic tables in the parking lot of the visitors center. There is also plenty of parking.You cannot actually see any of 3 options they offer to the public without a ticket. The my ate the 4m, 2.1m, and solar telescope. The other telescopes are not for public viewing. It is best to order the tickets online a day or two ahead. I would not drive all the way there and try to buy them as you risk wasting your time driving and the tours frequently sell out.You can visit the little museum and gift shop for free and there is a little shed with a telescope tracking the sun that you can view for free. You cannot walk the property on your own. You need a tour guide.The tours are informative and you get to go inside and see the telescope from a distance. It's really quite cool if you think about it. You don't get to look through the telescope. There is a night program and another expensive option at night if you want to look through a telescope.I've seen the 2.1m KPNO and the McMath-Pierce Solar telescopes. Tours are $20 for each tour per person + service charge of $1.50. They last about 90 min and you walk about 1/2 mile. The McMath Pierce solar telescope is no longer in use since 2012. It is being transformed into an education center.

Cool place to see. It's a bit of a drive from Tucson like 54 miles one way, but it's a nice drive. It took over an hour to drive to the top via Gates Pass. See Kitt Peak National Observatory with it's over 20 telescopes and take your time and truly enjoy the drive up there. You can see beautiful mountains all around for miles and miles when you get to the top at over 6800 feet elevation. It's a bit windy and much colder up there then Tucson so be prepared for that. Fantastic panoramic views! Pictures don't do justice compared to what you will see with your own eyes! Great day trip!

Beautiful drive to the Visitors' Center. Interesting and informative displays in the Center. We were on Kitt Peak twice in two weeks. The second time we enjoyed interactive presentations under the now-retired solar telescope by two excellent volunteers. A must-do Arizona excursion.

An absolute must visit for any self-proclaimed astronerd! Some the darkest, clearest skies and great telescopes! You have to make reservations for the special viewing nights, but it is well worth the wait, the price, and the drive! Go a couple of hours before your scheduled time to thoroughly explore the area and the grounds. They have great interactive exhibits and a museum plus a great gift shop. The tour starts at twilight and we were treated to the most gorgeous band of Venus I've ever seen! The delineation of the hues and the curve were just spectacular!The tour is super informative, so whether your a novice or a seasoned space geek, you will learn and most likely see something new.We lucked out with a crystal clear night & no moon, so everything was vibrant, bright, and the images in the scopes crisp, as well as for the blind eye.It was such an incredible experience! The tour and our guide were exemplary and the staff in the visitor center were so nice and will answer any questions you could possibly have!My companion for my visit here is not as into astronomy as I am and they are not easily excitable as they have lived a very exciting and adventurous existence...so when the highlight that actually got a squee out of them was driving down the mountain w/no headlights guided by the ranger truck, I knew it was something special!Whether you live in or near Tucson or visiting AZ, this place has got to be on your hit list!

This rating is for the lady who answered our call- she is friendly, accommodating and gave an excellent recommendation on other place to visit. Unfortunately, the observatory is closed (June 2023) and undergoing repairs/rehabilitation, tentatively opening mid-summer. Just want to post this review for tourist/families who are planning to visit.

Get your science on! Kitt Peak National Observatory is a great place for learners of all ages. The first time my partner and I went was before we moved to Arizona. The night was cloudy, but no one called to cancel, and everyone with reservations showed up. The guide asked why we all came, and most of us stated that we were heading back home in the next day or two. While we ate our box dinner, the guide made some quick phone calls and got us a tour of one of the radio telescopes on the mountain. This is not on the normal program, but the operator had a good time showing us how it worked and answering questions. Recently, we trekked to Kitt Peak again for a clear and moonless night. The group was split in half for viewing, and we had a vivacious, knowledgeable student to guide us. We were able to check out 4 different objects with the telescope and 5 more with binoculars. We heard that the other group didn't get to see as much at the telescope, but I'm sure what you see is dependent on the guide and who is in the group. This is a place we'll visit again, and a definite stop for out of town guests.

Went here with the family on a beautiful winter day. We took the first tour of the day (solar telescope). We were lucky and it was in operation for some scientist. Kind of cool that you get to go inside a working telescope. The views from up top are incredible. We got super lucky and they had a couple of small solar telescopes available and we got to actually view the surface of the sun and see sunspots and other solar features. The docents are know their stuff and are happy to pass on their knowledge. I'd be curious about the night tour and the view at night away from the city lights, but that wasn't in the cards this time.

This place says it's open online and in google maps. Be assured, do not waste over an hour out of your day one way to go there. They're closed. They need to update the website and google.

My wife and I went to Kitt Peak for the Nightly Observing Program on Halloween, and it was great. Charles is extraordinarily passionate and a fantastic presenter and speaker. One of my favorite things to see is a presenter who is genuinely interested in the things they're talking about, their enthusiasm is infectious and it makes everything that much better. Freddie was great too, and was able to guide us in the use of the telescope, though I wouldn't have wanted the group size to be any larger. Next time we're back in town we'll definitely try to do the Dark Sky Discovery program!

i was very excited to experience the Night Sky Program on December 28, 2024. The cloud cover did not clear enough for us to have the regular program and we were given an alternate program instead. Disappointing but you can't control the weather.What could have been controlled was the number of attendees that were signed up.40-45 people were there which resulted in a LOT of standing around and waiting for small groups (11) to climb to the roof of a building to see Venus through a telescope. About 15 seconds per person. Then waiting for everyone to follow that routine and then repeat it to see Jupiter, and the Saturn.We were then transported by van to another presentation in another building. The problem was the van only held 12 people plus 2 docents. More waiting for everyone to arrive and then the same process and waiting to be transported back to our cars.Poorly planned and managed.We can get a "refund" in the form of a future ticket for the same program.I'm thinking....No