(meteorobs) Stargazing at State/National Parks out west

[Russell McCrackin]

Hi Joe
Here's a suggestion.  How dark are the skies? Well, the MMT telescope that has a 23 foot mirror sits on a mountain about 18 miles to the East. (the telescope housing is visible from this site)  Many visitors to the Park on our full moon nights comment that they have never seen so many stars.  The site is the Tumacacori National Historical Park, a small National Park about 45 miles south of Tucson,Arizona, along I-19.  (About 20 miles from Mexico)  An easy drive from Tucson that takes about an hour, including time to get out of town.

The difficulty is that the national Park is only open from 8am to 5pm, every day except Xmas and Thanksgiving.  There are a few times it is open later, such as on full moon nights during Spring, but you don't want that.  However, there is plenty of room to park a car next to the Fiesta grounds just North of the Park entrance, with no charge for parking.  If you arrive a day before your "viewing Nights" you should be able to find lots of sites.  The National Park is the site of an Spanish Mission, with history from 1691.  I am Artist-In-Residence there, and think it worth a visit.  You can see most of it in about two hours.

Three miles north of the Nat. Park is the small town of Tubac, AZ.  There is a State Park that has a history as the first own in the Arizona Territory.  The town is an Art Colony, with many galleries and other stores.  

For nearby lodging, there is The Tubac Country Inn, a B&B in Tubac, and more lodging just to the north in the Tubac Golf Resort.  I can get you phone numbers for them if you are interested.  About 22 miles north of the Nat. Park is Green Valley, where there are many hotels and motels.

If you have a trailer or motorhome, there are two RV parks just 10 miles north of the Nat. Park.  One is called De Anza Trails, the other is the Mountain View RV Park where I am spending my tenth winter, leaving in early May.  It's not fancy, but the price is better than at the other one.   The phone number for Mt. View RV Park is (520) 398-9401.  

Actually, there are lots of places in this area where you can get really dark viewing.  The only caution I have is that when ever I really want to see something, such as the last visit of Halley's Comet, it turns out to be a cloudy night, so I won't plan to see the Perseids, and jinx you.
If you need more information, don't hesitate to email me at rusty at proaxis.com   If you want to landline my number is (520) 444-1644
Russell McCrackin
rusty at proaxis.com

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <Skywayinc at aol.com>
To: <undisclosed-recipients:>
Sent: Monday, March 19, 2007 9:04 AM
Subject: (meteorobs) Stargazing at State/National Parks out west


> At our house we're now in the process of  formulating our family 
> summer vacation plans.  Two years ago, my  wife chose where we'd spend
> our down-time and last year our two teenagers made  suggestions.
> 
> This year, it is MY turn to pick the venue.  
> 
> Since the Perseids occur at New Moon this year,  I'd like to go someplace 
> out west where there are very dark, clear  skies.  My first thought was one
> of our National Parks . . . but which one?   If anybody has any experience
> with the State and National Parks out west --  especially in regard to 
> stargazing -- and can make some suggestions, I'd  sure like to hear them.
> 
> -- joe r.