Observatories Of The Southwest: A Guide For Curious Skywatchers,Used

With Its Clear Skies And Low Humidity, The Southwestern United States Is An Astronomers Paradise Where Observatories Like Kitt Peak Have Redefined The Art Of Skywatching. The Region Is Unique In Its Loose Federation Of Likeminded Research Outposts And In The Quantity And Diversity Of Its Observatoriesplaces Captured In This Unique Guidebook.Douglas Isbell And Stephen Strom, Both Intimately Involved In Southwestern Astronomy, Have Written A Practical Guide To The Major Observatories Of The Region For Those Eager To Learn What Modern Telescopes Are Doing, To Understand The Role Each Of These Often Quirky Places Has Played In Advancing Our Understanding Of The Cosmos, And Hopefully To Visit And See The Tools Of The Astronomer Up Close. For Each Observatory, The Authors Describe Its History, Highlights Of Its Contributions To Astronomywith An Emphasis On Recent Resultsand Information For Visitors. Also Included Are Wideranging Interviews With Astronomers Closely Associated With Each Site.Observatories Covered Range From Mcdonald In Texas To Palomar In California, With Significant Outposts In Between: Arizonas Kitt Peak National Observatory Southwest Of Tucson, The Lowell Observatory In Flagstaff, And The Whipple Observatory Outside Amado; And New Mexicos Very Large Array Near Socorro And Sacramento Peak Close To Sunspot. In Addition To Describing These Established Institutions, They Also Take A Look Ahead To The Most Powerful Groundbased Telescope In The World Just Beginning To Operate At Full Power On Mount Graham In Safford, Arizona.With More Than Three Dozen Illustrations, Observatories Of The Southwest Is Accessible To Amateur Astronomers, Tourists, Students, And Teachersanyone Fascinated With The Contributions That Astronomy Has Made To Deepening Our Understanding Of Humanitys Place In The Universe, Whether Exploring The Solar System From Lowell Observatory Or Studying The Birth Of Stars Using The Army Of Giant Radio Telescopes At The Very Large Array. This Book Aims To Inspire Visits To These Sites By Illuminating The Major Scientific Questions Being Pursued Every Clear Night Beneath The Dark Skies Of The Southwest And The Amazing Machinery That Makes These Pursuits Possible.