Mount Lemmon SkyCenter

super fun intro to astronomy! we had a group of 8 people which was a perfect size. the wait to view thru the telescope was fine. a very large group would have been too much, i think. travis knew his stuff well and did a great job simplifying concepts so that even lay people could understand. his assistant, michael, and travis were both extremely pleasant and approachable.

Our two guides for Sky Nights - Travis and Aaron were incredibly knowledgeable and friendly. You could tell they love what they do.

If you have any interest in space or astronomy you must to do a Skyview Adventure when in Tucson. Our guides, Will and Ronnie, were two recent University of Arizona grads who did an excellent job explaining everything the many telescopes there, the Schumann telescope we used and of course what we were seeing We were extremely lucky to be in a small group, there was a snow storm expected but it held off. We had a phenomenally clear night sky, just seeing that with the naked eye is breathtaking due to the very low light pollution. Safety was first they kept track of the storm and would have ended early if needed to get everyone on their way. The program included viewing sunset at at the right moment seeing the green flash through provided binoculars; looking at constellations and stars through binoculars and the Schuman telescope. We saw Jupiter, including gradations on its surface, Mars and Saturn as well as the Orion Nebula, the andromeda galaxy and more. In Winter it is very cold, parkas, hats, gloves and warm footwear are needed

I highly recommend this amazing 5 hour experience. Travis showed us amazing galaxies, stars, nebulas snd so much more. It was breathtaking.

My husband and I are always looking for something different when we travel. We loved the evening sky tour was just that. Travis and Amy were excellent guides and we thoroughly enjoyed the program. It's obvious they both love astronomy and all things space. Be warned it can (and did) get very cold and start to finish, it will take about 6 hours, 7+ if you include drive time to get there. Bring winter clothes and build time in to enjoy the trip up the mountain.

This was one of the best evenings I have spent out in Tucson and one of the coolest learning experience nights possibly ever.You see a lot over the course of the afternoon, evening, and night. One of our companions for the night - and it's a small group, capped at 20 - exclaimed as we were still in twilight about how cool everything we had looked at was, "And it's not even dark yet!" They also record what you observed that night and it goes on a kind of record on the website. We saw (I'm probably going to miss a few but just to give you the idea): the sun through viewers, the sunset looking for the spread of the spectrum of color and the "green flash", a thunderstorm, the moon, Jupiter and some of its moons, Saturn and some of its moons, a cluster M13 that looks like a celestial glitter bomb, the "coat hanger" formation, satellites including an iridium flare, the whirlpool galaxy, a planetary nebula, Regulus...The food is a good spread. Imagine a training day at work - those kinds of foods. Sandwiches, yogurt, apples, cookies, salad, baggies of dressing. You have ample opportunity to chow, so while the site says "light fare", it's a totally acceptable dinner.Driving back down the mountain in the dark was nerve-wrecking for me but you're definitely awake when you're making sure the hairpin turns don't slide you through the guard rails. One of the other cars zoomed ahead of the line and I was seriously afraid we were going to see the truck smashed into a hoodoo. Be careful.Kathie was seriously awesome. Engaging, energetic, patient with the kids but encouraging of questions for the adults, clearly knows her stuff backwards and forwards. We tipped her (we insist, for sure) but I will admit to being a little shamed in that we offered before seeing how much cash we actually brought... The science presentations are informative and surface level astronomy but if you don't work in the field it's a nice reminder of the hugeness of our sky and the different sizes and makeup of stars.Absolutely, 100% recommend. Bring your friends. I'm going back. Oh - and if you do make a Messier Marathon, SkyCenter, I want to come!

Attended the night Skycenter viewing experience and while it was cold, IT WAS AMAZING. We were part of a good-sized group but we were able to look through the telescope multiple times at planets and the moon. Our guides were able to point out constellations and galaxies in the night sky for us. Hands down one of the best experiences!

A dream encapsulated by the wonderful sites of this center. I have lived in Arizona all my life but never thought I would see such a beautiful sunset.

The drive up and down the mountain is always eventful with the different seasons. Views from the top and along the way are spectacular.

WOW, was this FABULOUS!!! We did this on March 11, with our 14 and 17 year old grandkids and parents. Every one of us (including the "grands" who can act aloof and uninterested were totally engaged. They both asked questions which Will and Tracie answered carefully and factually, including several about extra-terrestrials which is a special interest of one of them. The pre-tour written information was detailed and excellent. And the instructions about how to use the binoculars and telescopes --preliminary to actually using them---- was Very Helpful! Both leaders explained WHY you should close one eye at a certain point, and WHY you had to look away from the sunset until they told we to look so we could see the "green flash"! And Will's lecture during the supper was superb! He moves around the room, he answers all questions and he has such an interesting way of making difficult concepts understandable by lay people---a natural born teacher I think.It was an extraordinary experience, with terrific prep for every stage, including the warnings to bring warm clothes/blankets. We are very proud of our U of A's knowledge and sharing of same!