We booked a personal SkyNights program for our small family to celebrate our Father's life. Will and Chase were both incredibly helpful, extremely knowledgeable, and hilariously entertaining, making our tour of the night sky an unforgettable experience. We started with a view of the sun and moon, then watched the amazing sunset over Arizona. They asked us for requests (both for sky viewing and accompanying music). We saw numerous galaxies, clusters, nebulae and planets. The jewel of the evening had to be the extended view of Saturn and Titan. They not only showed us the universe, but they also educated us on the history, science and current global initiatives to better understand the cosmos. We really appreciated all the pre-event communications, clear instructions and overall coordination. Thank you, Will, for all your help in that! We highly recommend this experience for all citizens of planet Earth! read more

Mount Lemmon SkyCenter - Sunset from Mt. Lemmon Observatory - Tours Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Our two guides for Sky Nights - Travis and Aaron were incredibly knowledgeable and friendly. You could tell they love what they do. read more

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If you have any interest in space or astronomy you must to do a Skyview Adventure when in Tucson. Our guides, Will and Ronnie, were two recent University of Arizona grads who did an excellent job explaining everything the many telescopes there, the Schumann telescope we used and of course what we were seeing We were extremely lucky to be in a small group, there was a snow storm expected but it held off. We had a phenomenally clear night sky, just seeing that with the naked eye is breathtaking due to the very low light pollution. Safety was first they kept track of the storm and would have ended early if needed to get everyone on their way. The program included viewing sunset at at the right moment seeing the green flash through provided binoculars; looking at constellations and stars through binoculars and the Schuman telescope. We saw Jupiter, including gradations on its surface, Mars and Saturn as well as the Orion Nebula, the andromeda galaxy and more. In Winter it is very cold, parkas, hats, gloves and warm footwear are needed read more

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super fun intro to astronomy! we had a group of 8 people which was a perfect size. the wait to view thru the telescope was fine. a very large group would have been too much, i think. travis knew his stuff well and did a great job simplifying concepts so that even lay people could understand. his assistant, michael, and travis were both extremely pleasant and approachable. read more

Attended the night Skycenter viewing experience and while it was cold, IT WAS AMAZING. We were part of a good-sized group but we were able to look through the telescope multiple times at planets and the moon. Our guides were able to point out constellations and galaxies in the night sky for us. Hands down one of the best experiences! read more

I highly recommend this amazing 5 hour experience. Travis showed us amazing galaxies, stars, nebulas snd so much more. It was breathtaking.

A dream encapsulated by the wonderful sites of this center. I have lived in Arizona all my life but never thought I would see such a beautiful sunset. read more

WOW, was this FABULOUS!!! We did this on March 11, with our 14 and 17 year old grandkids and parents. Every one of us (including the "grands" who can act aloof and uninterested were totally engaged. They both asked questions which Will and Tracie answered carefully and factually, including several about extra-terrestrials which is a special interest of one of them. The pre-tour written information was detailed and excellent. And the instructions about how to use the binoculars and telescopes --preliminary to actually using them---- was Very Helpful! Both leaders explained WHY you should close one eye at a certain point, and WHY you had to look away from the sunset until they told we to look so we could see the "green flash"! And Will's lecture during the supper was superb! He moves around the room, he answers all questions and he has such an interesting way of making difficult concepts understandable by lay people---a natural born teacher I think. It was an extraordinary experience, with terrific prep for every stage, including the warnings to bring warm clothes/blankets. We are very proud of our U of A's knowledge and sharing of same! read more

The drive up and down the mountain is always eventful with the different seasons. Views from the top and along the way are spectacular.

My husband and I are always looking for something different when we travel. We loved the evening sky tour was just that. Travis and Amy were excellent guides and we thoroughly enjoyed the program. It's obvious they both love astronomy and all things space. Be warned it can (and did) get very cold and start to finish, it will take about 6 hours, 7+ if you include drive time to get there. Bring winter clothes and build time in to enjoy the trip up the mountain. read more

This was one of the best evenings I have spent out in Tucson and one of the coolest learning experience nights possibly ever. You see a lot over the course of the afternoon, evening, and night. One of our companions for the night - and it's a small group, capped at 20 - exclaimed as we were still in twilight about how cool everything we had looked at was, "And it's not even dark yet!" They also record what you observed that night and it goes on a kind of record on the website. We saw (I'm probably going to miss a few but just to give you the idea): the sun through viewers, the sunset looking for the spread of the spectrum of color and the "green flash", a thunderstorm, the moon, Jupiter and some of its moons, Saturn and some of its moons, a cluster M13 that looks like a celestial glitter bomb, the "coat hanger" formation, satellites including an iridium flare, the whirlpool galaxy, a planetary nebula, Regulus... The food is a good spread. Imagine a training day at work - those kinds of foods. Sandwiches, yogurt, apples, cookies, salad, baggies of dressing. You have ample opportunity to chow, so while the site says "light fare", it's a totally acceptable dinner. Driving back down the mountain in the dark was nerve-wrecking for me but you're definitely awake when you're making sure the hairpin turns don't slide you through the guard rails. One of the other cars zoomed ahead of the line and I was seriously afraid we were going to see the truck smashed into a hoodoo. Be careful. Kathie was seriously awesome. Engaging, energetic, patient with the kids but encouraging of questions for the adults, clearly knows her stuff backwards and forwards. We tipped her (we insist, for sure) but I will admit to being a little shamed in that we offered before seeing how much cash we actually brought... The science presentations are informative and surface level astronomy but if you don't work in the field it's a nice reminder of the hugeness of our sky and the different sizes and makeup of stars. Absolutely, 100% recommend. Bring your friends. I'm going back. Oh - and if you do make a Messier Marathon, SkyCenter, I want to come! read more

I took my 11 year old daughter to the SkyCenter and she had the time of her life. The guide was excellent, the location was gorgeous, and the opportunity to do observations through such a great telescope was breathtaking. We love every minute of the program, and Sophia has not stopped talking about it since. We would definitely go again. read more

This was a great experience because we MADE IT THAT but was absolutely poorly managed. Travis and Tommy although extremely knowledgeable had 0 respect or idea how to manage a large group. For something that was $65 dollars a person the respect for managing everyone and preparation was not done. Little things like directing everyone to the telescope, to making sure the correct telescope was functioning so time is not wasted were some of the key basic functions. I was thoroughly exhausted from the sheer poor customer service. I, myself had to make sure that the many women and older men did not fall getting on to the Bus. I will recommended this but you seriously need to figure out the management on these Larger groups. Don't hesitate to give me a shout I have plenty of very easy to do ideas that will get this running smoothly. read more

In 2007, I visited the Mamalluca Observatory in Chile and have since been intrigued by what is out there. While visiting family in Green Valley, we were able to visit Mount Lemmon SkyCenter, a research and educational facility associated with the University of Arizona. From Tucson, it is approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes. The road is easy to drive - but drive carefully. The road up is scenic - we took time to bask in the beauty of the rocky landscapes. We stopped at the Babad Do'ag to admire the view of the valley. There is a small sign at the top for the skycenter - park there. Once the guides introduces themselves, they will have you park behind the gate in a secured area, no parking fee. There are about 5 observatories - one even belongs to Korea and one to the Vatican. The experience is about 4.5 hours - a mini course in Astronomy. Our group had 12 adults. You take turn stargazing through the giant telescope. So interesting to know that humans are made of atoms and elements that use to be part of other stars. Now we humans live on a planet called Earth, orbiting around a star among a hundred billion galaxies away. Go stargazing here and you will realize how insignificant we really are. 5 stars for the presentation by Matt Ryan and Kathy Zelaya - both equally passionate about our amazing universe. Awesome time in the observatory but yes it is very chilly. 4 stars for the facility. A nice warm bathroom, comfortable room with comfy chairs, a nice dinner of salad, croissant sandwich, fruit, yogurt, cookies, chips and drinks. A small area where you can buy hand warmers, photos, books etc. Great night - my one suggestion would be to cut down the "planet distance" portion and package the presentation in a 3 hour tour :). Thank you Adam, Matt and Kathy for everything you are doing - we hope all of your dreams will come to light soon. Dress in a ton of layers, enjoy the ride up and the chance to learn about something that is truly extraordinary. read more

Out of this world! One of the best astronomy tour/program I attended. This was completely hands on and I learned so much. It starts late afternoon with a tour of the grounds. Watch the sunset with binoculars to find a hint of something special. Gaze through different telescope to see hundreds or stars, planets and galaxies. They even show you how to star gaze with binoculars if you were to do it in your back yard. A light dinner is served since your there pretty late. If your into astronomy like I am, this is something I highly recommend doing. One of the best things Tucson has to offer read more

Their observatory program is an absolutely excellent, informative and expertly delivered info-packed experience, replete with history, astronomy and science. It moves from various locations within the observatory property and allows participants to see numerous sky formations. It comes with a nice dinner during a presentation and you're never far for a restroom (important in what is a long evening). One tip: When they say it's cold, they mean it. Dress for the arctic. Really. read more

What a great experience!! Our guide was Travis and he was wonderful, full of knowledge and patience. Thank you!

The view was spectacular. It was absolutely bonkers to me to see snow down here just moved here 8 months ago from Montana and didn't think I'd be seeing snow. Wish my phone hadn't died or I would've got an amazing photo of the sunset read more

Fantastic experience. See things and look through telescopes that many will never see first-hand. Guides are incredibly knowledgeable and Mt. Lemmon is beautiful of course. We attended on 12/27/15 during 20° temps, and the lowest they've had was around 5° - dress like you're headed to Chicago! Very chilly but still a great experience no matter the weather. read more

Take LOTS of warm clothing! Parka, winter boots, thick mittens. Definitely take hand warmers and some warm tea in a thermos. They are NOT kidding when they say you will be cold. Amazing experience even with the shivering. Super friendly staff and amazingly knowledgeable. Will go again, but will definitely dress for the experience next time. The drive up is really beautiful, so go early and take the day to enjoy the scenery. read more

This is one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had. We viewed stars, clusters, galaxies, nebulae and more through a 32" telescope at the 9,000' summit of Mt. Lemmon. Our guide and telescope driver was personable, knowledgeable and articulate, and the evening was one I will truly never forget. An absolute "don't miss" if you are in the area. read more

I had no idea this place existed. What a great find. The program is informative and interactive and you get to see so much. Just incredible! Prepare for a chill from the weather and the views. read more

Went to the 1/29/14 Skycenter tour. Fantastic! Learned a lot, saw a lot. Thoroughly enjoyed looking through the telescope inside and binoculars outside. Dedicated tour guides sharing their passion for astronomy. I would go again in a heartbeat! I would highly recommend this as the best observatory tour in the Tucson area. read more

Our presenter, Travis, was incredibly knowledgable and enthusiastic! He took the time to answer any and all questions we had. Although we didn't get a chance to see any planets or moons during the night because of the time of year we visited, seeing nebulas, star clusters and stars was exciting enough! I would come back here in a heartbeat and would recommend visiting to anyone who is even minimally fascinated with space and astronomy. Definitely a highlight of our visit to Tuscon. Next time we will be doing the Astronomers Night! Thanks for a great adventure! read more