Victor Sunstar, astronomer at Spencer’s Observatory, 2720 S. Kinney Road, hosts star tours. The observatory is home to a Celestron 14-inch telescope.

 Mamta Popat, Arizona Daily Star

Tucson’s wide open skies and long-standing love affair with astronomy has made it so you don’t have to be a professional to access the equipment and expertise to go stargazing.

With the Perseid meteor shower streaking through the night sky this month, set to peak Aug. 11-13, now is the perfect time, save for some monsoon cloud cover, to look up toward the heavens and see what’s going on in the cosmos.

Whether you are interested in purchasing a telescope for your backyard or checking out high-end equipment in action at an established facility like Kitt Peak (when it reopens to the public), Tucson has options.

Store owner Dean Koenig looks at a telescope for a customer at Starizona, 5757 N. Oracle Road.

Starizona

5757 N. Oracle Road, 292-5010;

starizona.com

Located about two miles north of the Tucson Mall, Starizona is an astronomy store that stocks a healthy supply of telescopes, cameras and just about every accessory imaginable, from the very basic to the highly advanced.

Owner Dean Koenig has owned and operated the shop for 25 years. Koenig said his love for astronomy began later in life, but once he started, he was enthralled with the hobby.

“I say there are astronauts and there’s astro-nuts and I was one of the crazy ones,” he said.

Koenig says a high-powered telescope isn’t required to enjoy astronomy. Beginners can easily pick out constellations in the night sky using their naked eyes.

Moving from your own optics to a decent pair of binoculars, like a Meade 7 x 50 set, can enhance the experience for less than $40, Koenig said.

As far as telescopes go, Starizona has models ranging from a $340 to $9,000. Koenig said that for about $1,500 to $2,000, amateur astronomers can purchase a stand-alone telescope that can find everything in the sky for you automatically using triangulation technology.

If you’d like to capture some of the stars that you see on film, Starizona also carries astrophotography cameras, designed specifically for that purpose.

Spencer’s Observatory at Cat Mountain Lodge

2720 S. Kinney Road, 578-6085; catmountainstation.com/spencers-observatory

Victor Sunstar, one of the guides at Spencer’s Observatory on Tucson’s west side, likes to describe himself with a bit of humor.

“Do you know what an old astronomer is?” Sunstar asks. “Well, I’ll tell you. A stargeezer.”

Sunstar is the resident stargeezer and star tour guide at the observatory, with more than 50 years of presenting experience.

Spencer’s Observatory is behind Cat Mountain Lodge on Kinney Road.

Located next to Cat Mountain Station, Spencer’s is home to a Celestron 14-inch telescope that Sunstar says will blow your socks off when it sets its sights on the moon.

The observatory provides an intimate experience for small groups of up to five people, making it so no one gets left behind. Over the course of the two-hour star tour, Sunstar uses interactive activities and kinesthetic learning to educate and entertain.

The telescope is housed in a structure with a roll-off roof, providing an uninterrupted view of the night sky.

“The ancients, they used the sky like we use a watch, a compass and a calendar, so I orient the people so that they can do that, too,” Sunstar said, emphasizing the need to physically point with your finger as you trace the constellations to kinesthetically learn where they are and what they look like.

Sunstar said the interactive activities give people a mental picture and a concept of how incredibly small we are in relation to the galaxy and the universe.

Kitt Peak National Observatory, west of Tucson, is closed for now but hopes to reopen later this year.

Kitt Peak National Observatory

visitkittpeak.org

Kitt Peak is currently closed to the public, but that just means you have more time to plan your visit for when the observatory tentatively reopens later this year.

“It will come back one way or the other,” said Bill Buckingham, Kitt Peak Visitor Center manager. “We have every intention of returning to normal. It is just a matter of doing it in a safe, phased manner and figuring out the exact timing.”

Pre-pandemic, the observatory offered a range of daytime guided tours, outdoor exhibits, and nighttime stargazing programs.

Twenty-six major telescopes reside on the mountain, including the original 36-inch telescope from Steward Observatory dating to 1922. It was moved in 1963 to Kitt Peak and is still in operation today.

The observatory attracts people from around the world, Buckingham said, coming from as far away as Beijing to take part in its programs.

Buckingham said Kitt Peak’s phased reopening will most likely start in September with a selection of virtual programs, including a remote viewing and imaging program.

Participants will be able to remotely control a 12½-inch Solario telescope on Kitt Peak and take photographs with the telescope, about 80 feet from the visitor center. With the aid of a staff member, you’ll be able to access the night sky from your living room.

Buckingham said they hope in-person, nighttime viewing programs will be able to resume in November, but it is all dependent on the progress of the pandemic.

LibraryScope Program

tucne.ws/libraryscope

The Pima County Public Library provides access to telescopes for those who are not able to or are not sure if they want to own one themselves.

The naked eye is perfect for taking in a meteor shower, but to see the details of the heavens up close and personal, a telescope needs to be in the mix.

The program is in partnership with the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association and provides the public with 4.5-inch, reflective tabletop telescopes. To guide the uninitiated, the library provides a user’s manual, constellation guide, and moon map.

Shawn Finn, the LibraryScope program coordinator said four branches have telescopes available for rent; Kirk-Bear Canyon, Miller-Golf Links, Oro Valley and Sam Lena South Tucson. Addresses can be found at library.pima.gov.

To check out a telescope, you need to be 18 years or older with a full-service library card, have $5 or less in fees, and a form of identification. Telescopes can be checked out for three weeks at a time, not unlike library books.

Finn said the program is very popular, but you can’t reserve them ahead of time, to give everybody a chance. Check on the library website to see if telescopes are available.

Steward Observatory

933 N. Cherry Ave., 621-2288;

as.arizona.edu

A long-standing piece of Tucson’s astronomical history, Steward Observatory dates back to some of the earliest days of the University of Arizona.

Although the original telescope has now been moved to Kitt Peak, the observatory stands as a testament to our community’s dedication to making the most of the night skies of the Sonoran Desert.

Before the pandemic, the historic campus building provided a space for lecture halls and a forum for the discussion of space-related endeavors. Whether you are a student or a member of the public, the observatory is there to educate.

The Tucson Amateur Astronomers Association was a frequent host of lectures at the observatory, but in-person activities have yet to resume.

Moving into the fall, keep an eye out and check in with this integral piece of Tucson’s legacy in astronomical research.

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Sebastian Janik is a University of Arizona journalism student apprenticing with the Star.