teens and kids

Lowell Observatory
by Danielle Ruberto

As Valley temperatures rise, head north to escape the heat. A trip to Lowell Observatory atop Mars Hill in Flagstaff brings you to a much cooler climate, and more importantly, to one of the most historic landmarks in Arizona. Percival Lowell established the observatory in 1894, eighteen years before Arizona reached statehood. Lowell had his first telescope built in Boston and shipped to the site, where he used it to study his passion – Mars. It was Lowell that thought he saw canals on Mars, sparking the idea of Martians! H.G. Wells even visited the observatory before writing “The War of the Worlds.”

Anxious to experience Lowell, our family got in the car and journeyed from Phoenix to Flagstaff. Father was like a kid on Christmas Eve. He had his gear all packed and was heading to an observatory. The entire car ride there was filled with stories from college, how he studied the universe, his ideas about dark matter and black holes, and much more! Once there, we were mesmerized by the cool breezes, tall trees, bright greenery and the stunning telescope domes. It was then that Tim Rodriquez greeted us. He is by far the most enthusiastic and passionate scientist I have ever met. Listening to him talk made it clear that he had a special love of astronomy… and for the stars!

The day started with a tour of the grounds that led to a beautiful dome with an impressive telescope inside. “You ready to stargaze?” Confused since it was a bright afternoon, Tim explained that daytime stargazing is possible. Excited, I looked into the telescope and saw Cappella, a luminous star that was quite vibrant in the bright blue sky. Next up was the Rotunda Library. It’s a dome shaped room full of history and exhibits. My brother Jim was fascinated with the blink comparator used in the discovery of Pluto. The Observatory’s place in history is apparent here – photos of Lowell looking at Mars, guest books signed by Neil Armstrong and other Apollo astronauts, and various pieces of equipment used through the years.

From there we went on the Pluto walk. It is a path that recreates the sizes and distances of the planets in our solar system. The walk ends at another domed telescope – the one used to discover one of the coolest and farthest planets in our solar system – Pluto! We entered the dome, walked up a winding staircase, and saw the bright red telescope that made history. Unlike scopes you look through, this one takes photographs. Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto in 1930 by comparing pictures of star fields and noticing that one out of thousands of tiny dots was moving. The whole experience was magical – the telescope, the stories, the discovery.

As daylight gave way to twilight and then to night, we headed to the Clark telescope, by far the most amazing piece of scientific equipment I have experienced. Jim and I will never forget our time with Clark. Tim allowed me to open the dome shutters and Jim was able to push and point the 6-ton telescope into viewing position. Tim explained that we would be looking at M5, a cluster of thousands of wonderful stars. And that is exactly what we saw. Words cannot describe the beauty of the star field through the very old and historic Clark telescope. I can say it was unlike anything I have ever seen.

As the night ended, Jim fell asleep in the van wearing his “Astronomer in Training” shirt from the gift shop. As I looked at the Big Dipper, I realized my journey to Lowell was absolutely amazing. If you have any interest in the sky, the planets, and the stars, then you have to get there. Even if you don’t think that astronomy is your thing… you will after a day’s adventure at Lowell. Thank you Tim for your wonderful hospitality, kindness and infectious enthusiasm. Call 928-233-3211 or visit www.lowell.edu for more information.

Danielle Ruberto is the 16 year old daughter of Key publisher Tom Ruberto and a junior in high school.

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