My night as a Kitt Peak Astronomer

Today, I was organizing some of my old photos and found some from my night as a Kitt Peak astronomer.

One year, I found about AOP. I contacted Kitt Peak about the AOP program. Then I found some cheap flights to Tucson.

Actually after the public night viewing at the visitor center, you can stay with the AOP program.

The Advanced Observing Program (AOP) is designed to give participants an authentic sample of the atmosphere of professional astronomy. You and one of our well qualified staff spend the night using one of Kitt Peak’s three public telescopes and associated equipment, exploring the wonders of the night sky.

I drove to Kitt Peak. After the public program, the telescope and the staff person was mine for the rest of the night. It was in the 30s so I only lasted to 2am in the unheated dome.

It was before digital cameras so it was too involved to use my film slr camera.

Still it was fun night. At one point,we went to the astronomer’s cafeteria for hot chocolate. Rather than having me drive to a hotel at 2am, I was assigned a unit used by the visiting astronomers to sleep the rest of the night.