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Sabino Canyon

February 28, 2017 Tuesday – Sabino Canyon Recreational Area, Tucson, AZ, USA

2017 Southern Arizona & Astronomy

The Sabino Canyon Recreational Area is close to where I’m staying in the Oro Valley, so I drive over to have a look – $5 admission. There are some people walking, but it is a long uphill trek to the scenic canyon, and it is threatening to rain, so I pay another $10 to take the tram. There is narration on the way up, and there are nine stops along the way, so people are picked up or dropped off at many of the stops.

It gives me an interesting peek into the Catalina Mountains that are north of Tucson, and the Riparian areas in the canyon. The Bajada Loop is a very short walking trail right next to the Visitor Center, and it has a wonderful variety of cactus and bushes of the desert. The half hour drive there and back allows me to see how people live in the suburbs of Tucson. I’m back at the hotel by noon.

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AMARG aircraft bone yard

Feb 27, 2017 Monday – 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG), Tucson, Arizona, USA

2017 Southern Arizona & Astronomy

I drive to the Pima Air & Space Museum, arriving as they open, and buy a ticket for their AMARG “Bone yard” tour for US$7.00. Although there are several “Bone yard” tours running today, they fill up quickly. A full-sized tour bus pulls up to the front entrance and takes my 10AM group on a one hour tour along with a Docent describing all the aircraft, the history of the place, and the reason it exists. We drive through the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base base gates twice in the process, so we have to be careful to not take photos inside the base.

For security reasons, there is no opportunity to get off the bus, so my photos are mediocre, since I’m forced to take photos through the bus window. That said, the tour is very interesting, and it’s the only way for civilians to see this facility. Please note that all prospective participants on this tour must apply for security clearance in advance of showing up for the tour – booking info.

AMARG is massive – 2,600 acres or 11 square kilometres. Some 4,400 civilian and armed forces aircraft are stored here, making it the largest aircraft storage facility in the world. The ground in this area is so hard, it can support any aircraft without pavement. Since the air is so dry in this area, the aircraft don’t deteriorate rapidly once their windshields and sensitive parts are covered in a white plastic film. I learn that some previously-piloted aircraft are converted to drones to save money.

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Desert Museum

February 26, 2017 Sunday – Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson, AZ, USA

2017 Southern Arizona & Astronomy

After having breakfast at the hotel this morning, I drive to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. The museum is in the western part of Suguero National Park. The desert landscape in this area is spectacular, and the museum presents very interesting displays of the various ecosystems found in the desert. The two captive Coyotes are quite active, and bark like dogs for awhile, getting everyone’s attention. Several docents are displaying birds of prey on their arms and describing their respective features and behaviour, so I take some wonderful closeups of the Peregrine FalconSpotted Owl and Barn Owl.

I have some lunch at the little cafe off the gift shop, although there are two other restaurants on the site. The museum has a surprising number of live birds and animals on display in enclosures, including Javalinas (wild pigs), snakes, prairie dogs and squirrels, lots of birds, and some cats. The caves are fun to explore, having stalagmites and stalactites and a gallery of nicely-displayed minerals that are found in the area. So it isn’t just cactus on display, although there are endless varieties of those as well!

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Kartchner Caverns & the night sky

February 24, 2017 Friday – Kartchner Caverns & the night sky at Dragoon Mountain Ranch, Arizona, USA

2017 Southern Arizona & Astronomy

Garry reserved (a few days ago) the Big Room Tour for the Kartchner Caverns for this afternoon. We depart around 1PM so we have time to look around the visitor centre before the tour starts. Unfortunately, photography is not allowed, and they even insist that we leave our cellphones behind in a locker. The tour starts by everyone being taken up the hill in a tram, and then we enter the caverns through a series of doors and air locks. The Big Room is indeed very big, and the history of the caves is interesting, with lots of stalagmites, stalactites, and other cave objects to see. We also learn about the bats who inhabit the cave and use it as a nursery.

On the way back, we go to the Benson Golf Course for dinner. It is a modest place, but the food is good and reasonably priced. This is our last meal together, since we leave tomorrow for home or further travels.

We head back home to do some observing – my last night observing from this special place. We struggle to get focusing working while using the Ha filter, and eventually have to admit defeat. Once the system is restored back to normal settings, I image an object that interests me – NGC 2174, an emission & reflection nebula. I stay inside the house to keep warm while the system takes the images automatically until the series finishes at 2AM. A couple of my astronomy buddies get up at this time to observe Omega Centauri (photo), so I join them to have a look before heading off to bed. My observing report

NGC 2174 emission & reflection nebula
NGC 2174 emission & reflection nebula
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Mirror Lab & Observing

February 23, 2017 Wednesday – Steward Observatory Mirror Lab, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA

2017 Southern Arizona & Astronomy

Both Reg and I drive the group into Tucson to visit the University of Arizona’s Mirror Lab, which is fascinating for all of us. This lab produces many of the world’s largest astronomical mirrors.

The Mirror Lab’s current multi-year project is to make the seven 8.4 metre mirrors for the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT), which will be located at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile. Combined together, the seven mirrors will form a single parabolic surface some 24.5 metres (80’) across! GMT is scheduled to be operational in 2022 with four mirrors, and will be fully operational in 2024 with all seven mirrors. The first mirror is completed, and the second through fourth mirrors are currently in the process of being made.

After returning to the ranch, we find the weather is wonderfully clear this evening, so my friends and I use the 25” telescope for visual observing from the observatory. My observing report

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Kitt Peak

Feb 22, 2017 Tuesday – Kitt Peak National Observatory, Arizona, USA

2017 Southern Arizona & Astronomy

We leave this morning around 10AM for the Kitt Peak National Observatory. We are driving from Dragoon Mountain Ranch to the observatories – a 2-hour trip each way through Tucson.

It takes about 30-45 minutes to drive SW to Kitt Peak from Tucson on the West Tucson Ajo Highway, and then up the access road. We pass the Border Patrol security check point on the way to Kitt Peak, and on the way back everyone is stopped for a dog inspection of the vehicle, and a personal ID check. When traveling in this region so close to the Mexican border, be prepared for security check points by carrying your ID with you. Non-US citizens should carry their passports.

We take the 4 metre Mayall optical telescope 2-hour tour at 1:30PM, which involves climbing the hill to the high point-of-land. It is exciting to hear from our guide that this venerable optical telescope has found new life and a new funding source, which will allow it to contribute to finding answers about dark energy in the Universe. The facility closes at 4PM, so we don’t have time to explore further. We head back down the mountain road, and east through Tucson, the way we came this morning.

We stop in Benson on the way back to stock up on a few food and drink items. Some of our group stayed home today, so they are ready with dinner upon our arrival. Everyone enjoys the meal and we are eager to get outside to do more observing. Unfortunately, the weather isn’t ideal this evening with cloud cover dampening our enthusiasm, so we have to entertain ourselves playing a new board game for many of us: Mexican Trains (a domino game).

Kitt Peak
29 photos
Lots of cactus on the hillside
Lots of cactus on the hillside
First glimpse of Kitt Peak with the observatories on the  ridgeline
First glimpse of Kitt Peak with the observatories on the ridgeline
Diane and Matt at a pull-out part way up the mountain
Diane and Matt at a pull-out part way up the mountain
A panorama of the plains to the north of Kitt Peak
A panorama of the plains to the north of Kitt Peak
Most of the observatories on the ridgeline
Most of the observatories on the ridgeline
The Mayall, Stewart, UofA Spacewatch and Warner & Swasey observatories on the north ridgeline
The Mayall, Stewart, UofA Spacewatch and Warner & Swasey observatories on the north ridgeline
Our tour group with the Steward 2.3 metre observatory behind
Our tour group with the Steward 2.3 metre observatory behind
Inside view of the Mayall 4 meter telescope
Inside view of the Mayall 4 meter telescope
Yoke of the Mayall 4 meter telescope
Yoke of the Mayall 4 meter telescope
Matt, Diane & Reg in the observation deck of the Mayall dome
Matt, Diane & Reg in the observation deck of the Mayall dome
Fisheye view looking south along the Kitt Peak ridgeline showing many observatories
Fisheye view looking south along the Kitt Peak ridgeline showing many observatories
Looking south along the Kitt Peak ridgeline showing many observatories
Looking south along the Kitt Peak ridgeline showing many observatories
Looking SW at the ARO 12m Radio Telescope - Event Horizon Telescope
Looking SW at the ARO 12m Radio Telescope – Event Horizon Telescope
Looking up at the Mayall 4m observatory
Looking up at the Mayall 4m observatory
The 2.3m Steward observatory and the 4m Mayall observatory
The 2.3m Steward observatory and the 4m Mayall observatory
Joe on Kitt Peak with the McMath-Pierce Solar telescope behind
Joe on Kitt Peak with the McMath-Pierce Solar telescope behind
The 0.6m Warner Swasey, the 1.8m Spacewatch,, the 2.3m Steward, and the 4m Mayall observatories
The 0.6m Warner Swasey, the 1.8m Spacewatch,, the 2.3m Steward, and the 4m Mayall observatories
The plains look like seawater
The plains look like seawater
Energy graph showing triple consumption while climbing Kitt Peak and 25 miles of gained range while descending the Kitt Peak road
Energy graph showing triple consumption while climbing Kitt Peak and 25 miles of gained range while descending the Kitt Peak road
Tesla Model S screen showing the route and energy use for Kitt Peak
Tesla Model S screen showing the route and energy use for Kitt Peak
Joe atop Kitt Peak at the Visitor Center plaza
Joe atop Kitt Peak at the Visitor Center plaza
McMath - Pierce former solar telescope
McMath – Pierce former solar telescope
Tesla Model S in the parking lot with some snow
Tesla Model S in the parking lot with some snow
Mexican Jay - one of a pair
Mexican Jay – one of a pair
Mayall and Steward telescopes
Mayall and Steward telescopes
Michigan-Dartmouth-MIT telescopes in the distance with the 0.9m telescope above the rocks
Michigan-Dartmouth-MIT telescopes in the distance with the 0.9m telescope above the rocks
A sparse tour group for the morning tour of the 2.1 meter telescope
A sparse tour group for the morning tour of the 2.1 meter telescope
Inside the dome of the 2.1m telescope
Inside the dome of the 2.1m telescope
Looking north along the ridge line to Kitt Peak summit
Looking north along the ridge line to Kitt Peak summit
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Night sky imaging at Dragoon

Feb 21, 2017 Monday – Dragoon Mountain Ranch, St. David, Arizona

2017 Southern Arizona & Astronomy

Today is a “down day”, meaning we have no daytime activities planned, so the group can relax and do what they want. I catch up with my social media and email, and work on my journal entries. My blog is still behind – the last entry was for Victoria-Seattle – the first days of my travels, but at least I now have the material to write those blog posts.

It is my turn on the imaging telescope this evening, but when we try to take some flat frames before sunset, the sensor ices up. This means the desiccant inside the CCD camera is saturated with moisture, and needs to be baked so it dries out to make it effective again. Dealing with this issue delays my imaging session of M1 the Crab Nebula by an hour and a half, however I am imaging on the 20” Newtonian Astrograph by 9:20PM and wind up my run just after midnight. Without a doubt, this is my best image of the Crab Nebula. The detail within the object is fantastic, and this is the first time I’ve imaged the green fringe around the nebula! My observing report

RASC Victoria Centre: Joe Carr &emdash; M1 Crab Nebula
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Pima Air & Space Museum

Feb 20, 2017 Monday – Pima Air & Space Museum, Tucson, Arizona

2017 Southern Arizona & Astronomy

After having breakfast, I drive over to pick up my friends who want to see the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson. We spend most of the day exploring the huge number of aircraft on display inside, have some lunch onsite, and then take a tram tour of the many aircraft displayed outside. We have some time to wander around outside, so some of us check out the TWA Constellation and the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. I also check out the Boeing B-17 bomber, which has a building all to itself. Before returning home I buy a nice lightweight jacket from the gift shop as a keepsake for this wonderful aviation museum.

JoeTourist recommended!

Since the skies are nice and clear, we make good use of my friend’s observatory. I have a wonderful time with visual observing tonight, using the 25″ Newtonian operating at f3.3 – what a treat! I also shoot a two hour time lapse of the night sky. My observing log

Pima Air Museum
Solar panels on the parking lot roofs
Solar panels on the parking lot roofs
Closeup of an electrical box for the solar panels
Closeup of an electrical box for the solar panels
Wiring and electrical boxes for the solar panels
Wiring and electrical boxes for the solar panels
A white Model S 90D parked beside my Model S75D under the solar canopy
A white Model S 90D parked beside my Model S75D under the solar canopy
Diane Bell, Matt Watson and Reg Dunkley in front of the Space Shuttle booster and Pima Air Museum sign
Diane Bell, Matt Watson and Reg Dunkley in front of the Space Shuttle booster and Pima Air Museum sign
Reg Dunkley and Matt Watson in front of the Space Shuttle booster rocket with the infamous Morton Thiokol  o-rings
Reg Dunkley and Matt Watson in front of the Space Shuttle booster rocket with the infamous Morton Thiokol o-rings
Joe's selfie at the Pima Air Museum
Joe’s selfie at the Pima Air Museum
Bell UH-1C *UH-1M) Iroquois (Huey) helicopter
Bell UH-1C *UH-1M) Iroquois (Huey) helicopter
Engine in the Bell UH-1C (UH-1M) Iroquois (Huey)
Engine in the Bell UH-1C (UH-1M) Iroquois (Huey)
McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom II
McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom II
McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom II
McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom II
Canadair Sabre Mk. V
Canadair Sabre Mk. V
Lockheed Model 10A Electra
Lockheed Model 10A Electra
Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird
Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird
Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird
Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird
Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird engine
Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird engine
Consolidated B-24J 'Liberator'
Consolidated B-24J ‘Liberator’
Consolidated B-24J 'Liberator'
Consolidated B-24J ‘Liberator’
Looking up inside the bomb bay of the Consolidated B-24J 'Liberator'
Looking up inside the bomb bay of the Consolidated B-24J ‘Liberator’
Inside the bomb bay of the Consolidated B-24J 'Liberator'
Inside the bomb bay of the Consolidated B-24J ‘Liberator’
Consolidated B-24J 'Liberator'
Consolidated B-24J ‘Liberator’
McDonnell Douglas (Boeing) F/A 18A Hornet figher bomber
McDonnell Douglas (Boeing) F/A 18A Hornet figher bomber
Boeing B-52D Stratofortress bomber
Boeing B-52D Stratofortress bomber
Vickers 744 Viscount airliner
Vickers 744 Viscount airliner
Sud Aviation SE-210 Caravelle VI-R
Sud Aviation SE-210 Caravelle VI-R
Douglas VC-118A
Douglas VC-118A
Convair B-36 Peacemaker
Convair B-36 Peacemaker
Convair B-36 Peacemaker
Convair B-36 Peacemaker
Convair B-36 Peacemaker
Convair B-36 Peacemaker
Boeing B-52G Stratofortress bomber
Boeing B-52G Stratofortress bomber
Landing gear of Boeing B-52G Stratofortress bomber
Landing gear of Boeing B-52G Stratofortress bomber
Sikorsky CH-54A Tarhe (Skycrane) heavy lift helicopter
Sikorsky CH-54A Tarhe (Skycrane) heavy lift helicopter
Fairey AEW.3 Gannet
Fairey AEW.3 Gannet
Sepecat Jaguar GR.1 fighter-bomber
Sepecat Jaguar GR.1 fighter-bomber
Boeing B-17 bomber
Boeing B-17 bomber
Bomb bay
Bomb bay
Front guns and gunner
Front guns and gunner
Cockpit and top gunner
Cockpit and top gunner
Side gunner & inside fuselage
Side gunner & inside fuselage
B-17 bomber
B-17 bomber
Boeing 787 Dreamliner nose-on
Boeing 787 Dreamliner nose-on
Wing against the Sun
Wing against the Sun
Rolls Royce engine
Rolls Royce engine
Rolls Royce engine
Rolls Royce engine
Petal engine cowling of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner
Petal engine cowling of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner
Landing gear
Landing gear
Lockheed L-049 Constellation airliner
Lockheed L-049 Constellation airliner
Lockheed L-049 Constellation airliner
Lockheed L-049 Constellation airliner
Airline cabin service memorabilia
Airline cabin service memorabilia
Rationing memorabilia
Rationing memorabilia
Joe inside a Boeing 720B cockpit simulator
Joe inside a Boeing 720B cockpit simulator
The Crescent Moon between three blades of the Sikorsky CH-54A helicopter
The Crescent Moon between three blades of the Sikorsky CH-54A helicopter
Sikorsky CH-54A heavy lift transport helicopter
Sikorsky CH-54A heavy lift transport helicopter
Engine, blades and winches of a Sikorsky CH-54A heavy lift transport helicopter
Engine, blades and winches of a Sikorsky CH-54A heavy lift transport helicopter
Gunner's nacel beside the M-25 Mitchell
Gunner’s nacel beside the M-25 Mitchell
Sighting scope on a B-25 Mitchell bomber
Sighting scope on a B-25 Mitchell bomber
Engine from a SR-71 Blackbird
Engine from a SR-71 Blackbird
McDonnell Douglas (Boeing) F/a-18A Hornet figher bomber
McDonnell Douglas (Boeing) F/a-18A Hornet figher bomber
Andrew Schoultz Spy Tiger, 2012 - acrylic on Lockheed VC-140 Jetstar
Andrew Schoultz Spy Tiger, 2012 – acrylic on Lockheed VC-140 Jetstar
Budd RB-1 Conestoga Transport
Budd RB-1 Conestoga Transport
Douglas DC-10 engines with Orbis markings
Douglas DC-10 engines with Orbis markings
Douglas DC-10 with Orbis markings
Douglas DC-10 with Orbis markings
Douglas A-24B Banshee
Douglas A-24B Banshee
Consolidated Model 28-5AMC Canso A (PBY-5A Catalina)
Consolidated Model 28-5AMC Canso A (PBY-5A Catalina)
Consolidated Model 28-5AMC Canso A (PBY-5A Catalina)
Consolidated Model 28-5AMC Canso A (PBY-5A Catalina)
Consolidated Model 28-5AMC Canso A (PBY-5A Catalina)
Consolidated Model 28-5AMC Canso A (PBY-5A Catalina)
Spitfire in the foreground of Hanger 5
Spitfire in the foreground of Hanger 5
Spitfire
Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire FR. XIVe & Rolls-Royce Griffon 65 engine
Supermarine Spitfire FR. XIVe & Rolls-Royce Griffon 65 engine
Rolls-Royce Griffon 65 engine
Rolls-Royce Griffon 65 engine
Hawker Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane tail markings
Hawker Hurricane tail markings
Douglas A-24B Banshee
Douglas A-24B Banshee
Lockheed VC-121A
Lockheed VC-121A
Jacobs J-755 Radial Engine, 1943
Jacobs J-755 Radial Engine, 1943
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-28 Fulcrum A Interceptor
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-28 Fulcrum A Interceptor
Avro AEW Mk 3 Shackelton airborne early warning
Avro AEW Mk 3 Shackelton airborne early warning
Boeing VC-137B VIP Transport 'Freedom One'
Boeing VC-137B VIP Transport ‘Freedom One’
ITEK KA-80 optical bar camera
ITEK KA-80 optical bar camera
Grumman F-14A Tomcat
Grumman F-14A Tomcat
Hughes OH-5A Cayuse helicopter
Hughes OH-5A Cayuse helicopter
Bede BD-5J "Microjet"
Bede BD-5J “Microjet”
Pratt & Whitney R-1340 radial
Pratt & Whitney R-1340 radial
Pratt & Whitney R-1340 radial
Pratt & Whitney R-1340 radial
Phoenix Mars Lander scale model
Phoenix Mars Lander scale model
Mercury capsule
Mercury capsule
X-Plane
X-Plane
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Tombstone and other adventures

Feb 19, 2017 Sunday – Tombstone, Arizona

2017 Southern Arizona & Astronomy

I am up about 7AM and walk across the yard to the main house where some of my friends are staying. I make myself some coffee and soon others wander in. After having some breakfast, we drive over to the other place to meet the rest of the RASC Victoria group, who arrived very late after flying from Victoria to Kelowna and to Phoenix last night. They drove down to Tucson and to the ranch to complete our little group of amateur astronomers.

This morning, we drive to Tombstone in two cars to see this historic town which highlights life in the old wild west. We have some lunch, see a shotgun wedding skit staged on the main street, and just walk the streets in the old part of town. Our final stop is the Tombstone Courthouse, which is now a museum, and includes gallows in the back.

We stop at the Safeway store in Benson on the way back to do some grocery shopping, since this is a self-catered affair. After returning back home, I make a roasted chicken dinner for the group. The meal is a hit, and since the weather is overcast, we spend the evening drinking wine and beer and telling stories around the table before retiring for the evening.

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Tucson to Dragoon Mountain Ranch

Feb 18, 2017 Saturday – Tucson to Dragoon Mountain Ranch, near Benson and St. David, Arizona

2017 Southern Arizona & Astronomy

After my arrival this morning in Tucson aboard the Amtrak Sunset Limited train from Los Angeles, I rent a car from Enterprise for the next two weeks and then drive to my friend’s ranch. I drive east out of Tucson on the I-10 freeway, stopping in Benson to pick up a few groceries before driving the rest of the way to the ranch. Aftern turning off the Interstate, it takes me about a half hour of driving on dirt & gravel roads through the Dragoon Mountain Ranch, which is 8,400 acres (13 sqmi) in total.

Cody's house in the early morning light
Luxury house in the early morning light

As I arrive, it is overcast and raining lightly, but I hope it will clear off for the coming week when my astronomy buddies will be here. We go over to his neighbour’s place, which is where I am staying along with some other friends, who are already settled in.

As it turns out, I have a bedroom in the adjacent garage, which is massive, and has an apartment with a kitchen, great room, bedroom and bathroom. I am quite comfortable once I turn up the heat to get the place warmed up. The temperatures in this part of the high range land plateau can get close to freezing at night, and daytime temperatures are not hot, although the Sun can be intense. The reason I’m here? The very dark skies, of course!