On Wednesday 12 I drove myself across town to Lowell Observatory, being mid-week there were only two of us taking a tour so had a really good look at everything. Been driving quite a bit, but this was the first time I navigated from scratch.
From October 22 through December 3, tours begin on the hour from 10:00 AM through 4:00 PM and are 45 minutes long. You'll visit the Clark Telescope and historic Rotunda Museum. In the Rotunda, you'll not only learn about important discoveries made at Lowell through the years, but also experience A New Perspective on Mars. This temporary exhibit features breathtaking 3D images recorded by the European Space Agency's Mars Express Mission, and is a feast for the eyes.
(http://www.lowell.edu/)
Lowell Observatory is an astronomical observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona. Lowell Observatory is among the oldest observatories in the United States, and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1965.
The Observatory's original 24-inch (0.61 m) Alvan Clark Telescope is still in use today for public education. Lowell Observatory hosts 70,000 visitors per year who take guided daytime tours and view various wonders of the night sky through the Clark Telescope and other telescopes. It was founded in 1894 by astronomer Percival Lowell, and run for a time by his third cousin Guy Lowell of Boston's well-known Lowell family. The current trustee of Lowell Observatory is William Lowell Putnam, grandnephew of founder Percival Lowell and son of long-time trustee Roger Putnam.
The observatory operates several telescopes at two locations in Flagstaff. The main facility, located on Mars Hill just west of downtown Flagstaff, houses the original 24-inch (0.61 m) Clark Refracting Telescope, although its role today is as a public education tool and not research. The telescope, built in 1896 for $20,000, was assembled in Boston by Alvan Clark and then shipped by train to Flagstaff. Also located on the Mars Hill campus is the 13-inch (0.33 m) Pluto Discovery Telescope, used by Clyde Tombaugh in 1930 to discover the dwarf planet Pluto.
Lowell Observatory currently operates four research telescopes at its Anderson Mesa dark sky site, located 20 km (12 miles) southeast of Flagstaff, including the 72-inch (1.8-meter) Perkins Telescope (in partnership with Boston University) and the 42-inch (1.1 m) John S. Hall Telescope. Lowell is a partner with the United States Naval Observatory and NRL in the Navy Prototype Optical Interferometer (NPOI) also located at that site. The Observatory also operates smaller research telescopes at its historic site on Mars Hill and in Australia and Chile. Lowell Observatory is currently building the 4.2-meter Discovery Channel Telescope in partnership with Discovery Communications, Inc.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lowell_Observatory)
Explore the scales of the Solar System on the Pluto Walk, a 350 foot model of our Solar System.
(http://www.lowell.edu/)
I was too interested in the tour to take any pics.
Hopefully we will all go one night to get a look thru a telescope.
THEN
on Saturday 15 Coz and I went to a craft show at a retirement village, bought a few nick nacks and then we went to Riordan Mansion, an amazing place, we took the tour but weren't allowed to take pics inside, Coz took some outside so no doubt will appear on her flickr soon.
Built in 1904 for two Riordan families, Riordan Mansion is an impressive reminder of gracious living in a small, territorial logging town. The historic building is an Arizona treasure — a remarkable example of Arts and Crafts style architecture featuring a rustic exterior of log-slab siding, volcanic stone arches, and hand-split wooden shingles. The expansive home has forty rooms, over 13,000 square-feet of living area, and servant's quarters. The Riordan residence was designed by the creator of Grand Canyon's El Tovar Hotel, Charles Whittlesey.
(http://www.pr.state.az.us/parks/RIMA/index.html)
THEN
On Sunday 16 we went to the Grand Canyon, what can I say, b----y big hole in the ground, that showing off again '-).
Nearly five million people see the 1 mile deep (1.6 km) Grand Canyon each year. Most of them see it from their car at overlooks along the South Rim (this includes Grand Canyon Village, Hermits Rest, and Desert View). The South Rim is the most accessible part of the park and is open all year
(http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/index.htm)
Sedately following a Highway Patrol car along the very flat road leading to the Grand Canyon
Looking across to the other rim
A trail winding across the botton of the Canyon
The water bottle is for show, didn't walk very far along the trail :-)
On the way home we stopped at the Watchtower.
Building a structure that provides the wideat possible view of the Grand Canyon yet harmonizes with its setting was architect Mary Colter's goal when the Santa Fe Railroad hired her in 1930 to design a gift shop and rest area at Desert View Point. The Watchtower open
more details at (http://www.scienceviews.com/parks/watchtower.html)
Looking toward the painted desert from the Watchtower
In front of one of the murals
Today, Tuesday Rob is away and Coz is at work so the dogs and I are just hanging out, it is quite warm today but the forecast is for cooler weather soon so we are going to have lunch in the sun.
Yesterday I had my first solo Safeway shop, the little excitements of foreign life, one thing to notice is that shop assistants constantly ask if one is ok, if one can find everything, which is handy sometimes 'cause I need help. bye for now.
Hey Ma, loving the blog. Read it diligently and also scrutinise Flickr photos.
ReplyDeleteIt's so amazing to think you are at the GRand Canyon!!
PS. Please bring Roo home with you.