This guide provides a comprehensive tour of the famous Kitt Peak telescopes and an introduction to the important research accomplished with them. For more than 45 years, astronomers have used the telescopes at Kitt Peak National Observatories (KPNO) to make many remarkable discoveries about the Universe. KPNO supports the most diverse collection of astronomical observatories on Earth for nighttime optical and infrared astronomy and daytime study of the sun. It is currently the most visited astronomical observatory site in the world, including over 50,000 visitors a year from all 50 states and over 51 countries. With over twenty optical and radio telescopes, the site reveals to visitors modern astronomy’s great diversity. Leslie Sage is a Senior Editor at Nature magazine and Research Associate, Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland. ^lGail Aschenbrener is a Public Affairs Officer, USDA Forest Service

Authors

Leslie Sage
Leslie Sage is a Senior Editor of Nature, and a Research Associate in the Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland.

Gail Aschenbrenner, USDA Forest Service
Gail Aschenbrenner is a Public Affairs Officer in the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Tucson, Arizona.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements
Director’s welcome
How to use this guide
Planning your Kitt Peak visit
Telescopes and vistas/Interest points
Doing astronomy
Managing the mountain
Recommended reading and astronomy websites
Glossary.