Discovery Park

Right in Safford’s back yard is the Discovery Park Campus owned and operated by EAC (Eastern Arizona College).  This Discovery Campus has an observatory and provides star gazing certain nights during the month, as long as the nights are clear.  There are several exhibits inside the building: a gem collection that comes from the local mine; an astronomy trail that features forerunners like Galileo, Newton, Ptolemy, Copernicus, Kepler, Hubble, and of course Hipparchus the Father of ancient astronomy (complete with life-like statues of some of these astronomy greats); the local Historical Society has some priceless artifacts on display from the mining and cotton-pickin’ days.  There is also an informational area on the planets, their movements, size, and characteristics for those of the mind set to learn about astronomy.  There were several other buildings that were locked up, due to this being the ‘off-season’.

The most fascinating exhibit was the space shuttle simulator.  It provides a computer generated trip through space – visiting the planets, sun & moon, complemented with shaking seats for near miss ‘collisions’ with meteors.  It is also extremely educational with information on size, atmosphere, and up-close & personal views of the solar system.  The shuttle holds about 12 people… the kids LOVE the ride, although our hostess said a little girl from the 2nd grade came out of the shuttle bay in tears earlier today.

Outside of the main building, there are different informational exhibits.  There are signs with information on the planets (for those not taking the shuttle), a greenhouse, a grand kiva center, a turtle circle and several ponds: including one with a resident duck that loves crackers (our hostess gave us crackers to feed Howard – although Howard was awol this day).

Beyond Discovery Park itself, is the Mt. Graham International Observatory which is operated by Steward Observatory, the research arm of The University of Arizona. Of interest are 3 telescopes: The Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope, The Heinrich Hertz Submillimeter Telescope and The Large Binocular Telescope.  Day tours of the site are only available from May through October (weather permitting) and include a van trip up 10,500′ Mt. Graham, (80 miles round trip), lunch and a stop at the Forest Service Columbine Ranger Station.

The Large Binocular Telescope has some of the world’s most advanced optics and is the Most Powerful Telescope in the World.

The Submillimeter Radio Telescope is a submillimeter wavelength radio telescope utilizing a 10M (32.8 feet) parabolic dish, this telescope is shedding light on the Milky Way’s Black Hole.

The Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope features the Alice P. Lennon Telescope with its 1.8-m (6 feet) honeycomb construction that pioneered the spin-casting and stressed-lab polishing techniques.

If we are around in May we will definitely take this tour.  Who knew that in little Safford, AZ such world-class astronomy telescopes existed?

Oh by the way… we put a bid in on this house!  LOL

We just never know what we will encounter on our Gypsy Day Tripping…