whipple observatory tours

• 670 Mount Hopkins Road
• Amado, Arizona 85645
• Hours Monday, Wednesday and Friday (tours only): 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m.Reservations required.
• (520) 879-4407
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• Green Valley Public Lecture Series: FLWO conducts a winter public lecture series in Green Valley, Arizona. Please find the schedule on facebook (bottom right button).

Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory - Mt. Hopkins, AZ

• Visitors Center
• For Professional Astronomers

The Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory (FLWO) is the largest satellite facility of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO), part of the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian. Located​ on Mt. Hopkins in southern Arizona​, this remote site is home to a number of telescopes, including the 6.5 meter MMT Observatory. The observatory also includes the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS) gamma-ray observatory, telescope arrays designed to find Earth-like exoplanets, and a number of other telescopes used for a wide range of astronomical observations.

The 1.2M Telescope at the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory in Arizona.

The Telescopes and Science

From its establishment in 1966 as the Smithsonian Mount Hopkins Observatory, FLWO has hosted a world-class suite of telescopes designed for a wide variety of purposes.

The largest visible-light telescope ​at FLWO is the MMT Observatory, which has a primary mirror 6.5 meters (21 feet) in diameter. Jointly operated by the Smithsonian and the University of Arizona, the MMT is located at the summit of Mt. Hopkins. The MMT was originally designed as the Multiple Mirror Telescope in 1979, consisting of six individual mirrors working together. With improved mirror technology, the smaller mirrors were replaced by the current large mirror in 2000, though the observatory kept the name “MMT”. In 2002, the observatory implemented “adaptive optics”, which uses a secondary mirror. The shape of this mirror can be changed to correct for distortions in Earth’s atmosphere, providing the sharpest images in astronomy. The MMT also includes spectroscopic instruments to identify atomic emission and other observations where precise light wavelength measurements are important.

CfA’s gamma-ray observatory VERITAS is located at the base of Mt. Hopkins, and consists of an array of four 12-meter telescopes. Earth’s atmosphere blocks gamma rays from reaching the ground, but in the process, the high-energy light creates a flash of blue light known as Cherenkov radiation. The VERITAS telescopes work together to observe the blue light, characterizing the sources of some of the highest energy light known: supermassive black holes and other extreme environments in the universe.

In addition to the MMT, the FLWO has two smaller general-purpose visible-light telescopes: the FLWO 1.2-meter imaging optical telescope and the 1.5-meter Tillinghast optical spectroscopic telescope. These telescopes are used in observing objects in the Solar System, as well as a wide variety of astronomical observations in the Milky Way and beyond.

FLWO is host to two Smithsonian computer-controlled automatic observatories — also known as robotic observatories — designed to look for potentially habitable planets : the MINiature Exoplanet Radial Velocity Array (MINERVA) and the MEarth Project. MINERVA consists of four 70-cm optical telescopes, which look for the large rocky planets known as super-Earths in orbit around Sun-like stars. The MEarth array of eight 40-cm optical telescopes is designed to find Earth-like worlds orbiting the small red stars called “M dwarfs”, which is the source of the “M” in the name.

The HATNet (Hungarian-made Automated Telescope Network) is an array of five robotic optical telescopes, currently operated by Princeton University. Along with two other telescopes located on Mauna Kea in Hawaii, these five instruments are designed to detect transits: the brief reduction in a star’s light when an orbiting exoplanet passes in front of it. To date, astronomers have used HAT to detect over 60 exoplanets.

The FLWO is also host to The Tierras  Observatory, an upcoming fully-automated photometer capable of measuring the transit of Earth-sized planets orbiting M Dwarf stars with hitherto unachievable precision from the ground. Tierras  will repurpose the dormant 1.3m telescope , which hosted the 2MASS (North) infrared camera over a decade ago. 

Fred Lawrence Whipple and Mount Hopkins

Fred Lawrence Whipple (1906-2004) was an American astronomer who spent most of his professional career at Harvard University, where he discovered or co-discovered multiple asteroids and comets. In a series of influential papers published in the 1950s, he also developed the “dirty snowball” model of comets, which explains the dark color of a comet’s surface. Whipple served as director of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) from 1955 until 1973. During his tenure, SAO developed the Mount Hopkins Observatory, which was renamed for Whipple in 1981.

Mount Hopkins is a 2600-meter (8600 foot) tall mountain in the Santa Rita Mountains of southern Arizona, very close to the border with Mexico. The mountain is sufficiently far from Tuscon to be relatively unaffected by the city’s lights. Additionally, as a desert mountain, the weather is dry and clear much of the year, providing good observational conditions.

Dr. Gareth Hughes, VERITAS Deputy Operations Manager (left) and Dr. Michael Daniel, VERITAS Operations Manager (right) operate the VERITAS gamma ray observatory at the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory in Arizona.

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• Tours & Attractions
• Whipple Observatory Tour

Whipple Observatory Tour - Tours & Attractions - Tucson, Arizona

Support Astronomy

For the public.

Tucson and various nearby mountaintops in Southern Arizona are especially active in astronomy and have many related attractions. They are listed below and include references to talks that occur during the academic year. Each of the websites listed should have the information needed to schedule tours - including contact numbers.

Richard F. Caris Mirror Laboratory

The Richard F. Caris Mirror Laboratory, located under Arizona Stadium, now offers tours to the public. This tour will provide visitors with a behind the scenes look at cutting-edge optical technology and the revolutionary spin-casting processes that are involved in making giant telescope mirrors, from construction of the mold, to spin casting, grinding and polishing.

Mt. Lemmon Sky Center

The Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter, located just north of Tucson on the summit of Mt. Lemmon, is a unique science learning center. Check their website for information about tours of their facility.

Mt. Hopkins - Fred Whipple Observatory

Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory Visitors Center features displays and exhibits on astronomy and astrophysics, natural science, and cultural history. It is 56 kilometers (35 miles) south of Tucson and just within the boundary of the Coronado National Forest at the base of Mt. Hopkins in the Santa Rita Mountains. Mount Hopkins is located off Interstate-19 north of Tubac, but south of Green Valley.

Mt. Graham International Observatory

The Mount Graham International Observatory, operated by Steward Observatory at the University of Arizona consists of three telescopes: the 1.8-meter Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope (VATT), the 10-meter Heinrich Hertz Submillimeter (Radio) Telescope, and the 8.4-m x 2 Large Binocular Telescope, the world's most powerful telescope. Public tours are conducted by reservations, beginning about mid May through early November, weather permitting. For information and reservations, please contact Discovery Park in Safford. Mt. Graham is about two-hours drive east of Tucson.

Exhibits on the University of Arizona Campus

• The lobby area of the Sonett building on the northwest corner of the N. Cherry Avenue and the UA mall there is an exhibit of several Mars Missions supported by NASA. space missions in which the UA is currently involved.
• The Lunar and Planetary Lab (just east of the Flandrau Science Center) has an area on the fourth floor with posters and displays describing various space missions.
• The Phoenix Mars Mission, operated by the Lunar and Planetary Lab, has an exhibit area as well. It is located at 1415 N. 6th Avenue, just northwest of the UA campus.
• The Flandrau Planetarium offers astronomy-related exhibits for children of all ages.

Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory - Mt. Hopkins, AZ

• Visitors Center
• For Professional Astronomers

The Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory (FLWO) is the largest satellite facility of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO), part of the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian. Located​ on Mt. Hopkins in southern Arizona​, this remote site is home to a number of telescopes, including the 6.5 meter MMT Observatory. The observatory also includes the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS) gamma-ray observatory, telescope arrays designed to find Earth-like exoplanets, and a number of other telescopes used for a wide range of astronomical observations.

The 1.2M Telescope at the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory in Arizona.

The Telescopes and Science

From its establishment in 1966 as the Smithsonian Mount Hopkins Observatory, FLWO has hosted a world-class suite of telescopes designed for a wide variety of purposes.

The largest visible-light telescope ​at FLWO is the MMT Observatory, which has a primary mirror 6.5 meters (21 feet) in diameter. Jointly operated by the Smithsonian and the University of Arizona, the MMT is located at the summit of Mt. Hopkins. The MMT was originally designed as the Multiple Mirror Telescope in 1979, consisting of six individual mirrors working together. With improved mirror technology, the smaller mirrors were replaced by the current large mirror in 2000, though the observatory kept the name “MMT”. In 2002, the observatory implemented “adaptive optics”, which uses a secondary mirror. The shape of this mirror can be changed to correct for distortions in Earth’s atmosphere, providing the sharpest images in astronomy. The MMT also includes spectroscopic instruments to identify atomic emission and other observations where precise light wavelength measurements are important.

CfA’s gamma-ray observatory VERITAS is located at the base of Mt. Hopkins, and consists of an array of four 12-meter telescopes. Earth’s atmosphere blocks gamma rays from reaching the ground, but in the process, the high-energy light creates a flash of blue light known as Cherenkov radiation. The VERITAS telescopes work together to observe the blue light, characterizing the sources of some of the highest energy light known: supermassive black holes and other extreme environments in the universe.

In addition to the MMT, the FLWO has two smaller general-purpose visible-light telescopes: the FLWO 1.2-meter imaging optical telescope and the 1.5-meter Tillinghast optical spectroscopic telescope. These telescopes are used in observing objects in the Solar System, as well as a wide variety of astronomical observations in the Milky Way and beyond.

FLWO is host to two Smithsonian computer-controlled automatic observatories — also known as robotic observatories — designed to look for potentially habitable planets : the MINiature Exoplanet Radial Velocity Array (MINERVA) and the MEarth Project. MINERVA consists of four 70-cm optical telescopes, which look for the large rocky planets known as super-Earths in orbit around Sun-like stars. The MEarth array of eight 40-cm optical telescopes is designed to find Earth-like worlds orbiting the small red stars called “M dwarfs”, which is the source of the “M” in the name.

The HATNet (Hungarian-made Automated Telescope Network) is an array of five robotic optical telescopes, currently operated by Princeton University. Along with two other telescopes located on Mauna Kea in Hawaii, these five instruments are designed to detect transits: the brief reduction in a star’s light when an orbiting exoplanet passes in front of it. To date, astronomers have used HAT to detect over 60 exoplanets.

The FLWO is also host to The Tierras  Observatory, an upcoming fully-automated photometer capable of measuring the transit of Earth-sized planets orbiting M Dwarf stars with hitherto unachievable precision from the ground. Tierras  will repurpose the dormant 1.3m telescope , which hosted the 2MASS (North) infrared camera over a decade ago. 

Fred Lawrence Whipple and Mount Hopkins

Fred Lawrence Whipple (1906-2004) was an American astronomer who spent most of his professional career at Harvard University, where he discovered or co-discovered multiple asteroids and comets. In a series of influential papers published in the 1950s, he also developed the “dirty snowball” model of comets, which explains the dark color of a comet’s surface. Whipple served as director of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) from 1955 until 1973. During his tenure, SAO developed the Mount Hopkins Observatory, which was renamed for Whipple in 1981.

Mount Hopkins is a 2600-meter (8600 foot) tall mountain in the Santa Rita Mountains of southern Arizona, very close to the border with Mexico. The mountain is sufficiently far from Tuscon to be relatively unaffected by the city’s lights. Additionally, as a desert mountain, the weather is dry and clear much of the year, providing good observational conditions.

Dr. Gareth Hughes, VERITAS Deputy Operations Manager (left) and Dr. Michael Daniel, VERITAS Operations Manager (right) operate the VERITAS gamma ray observatory at the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory in Arizona.

• Director’s Welcome
• Diversity and Inclusion
• The Story of the Observatory
• History of the Telescope
• Public Tours- Temporarily Closed
• MMT in the News
• Journal Articles
• Technical Articles
• Previous Meetings
• Upcoming Meetings
• Movie Gallery
• Photo Galleries
• Observatory Policies
• Computing at the MMT
• Instrument Overview
• Blue & Red Channel Spectrographs
• Hectospec & Hectochelle
• Adaptive Optics System (unavailable)
• ARIES (unavailable)
• BLINC / MIRAC (unavailable)
• CLIO (unavailable)
• Maestro (unavailable)
• MMTPol (unavailable)
• SWIRC (unavailable)
• Remote Observing
• Telescope Schedules/Programs
• Applying For Time
• Telescope Performance
• Required Reading
• Before Your Run
• After Your Run
• During Your Run
• All Sky Camera
• Astronomers Log
• Catalog Tool
• Cheat Sheets
• Exposure Time Calculators
• Observatory Webcams
• Observing Log Sheets
• Observing Notes
• Observer’s Tools
• Video Frame Grabber
• Facilities & Directions
• Staff Directory
• Whipple Observatory Contact
• General Contact
• Emergency Contact
• Current Weather at the MMT
• Weather Resources
• Weather at the MMTO
• Wind Graphs
• Road Conditions

Latest News

Welcome to the MMT Observatory

How to acknowledge the MMT in your publication .

MMT Observing Schedule: August 2024 – January 2025

The observing schedule for August 2024 – January 2025 can be found here.

Whipple Observatory And TSO Team Up For Holst’s Planets

On April 12 and 14 the TSO and Whipple, along with MMT staff, are teaming up to bring the audience a rich astronomical experience that starts in the lobby and finishes on the stage for Holst’s Planets, the final …

MMT at the Tucson Festival of Books – Science City March 9-10, 2024

The Tucson Festival of Books is back! Visit MMT Observatory in Science City’s Science of Tomorrow tent! The MMT Observatory presents a hands-on demonstration of multi-object spectroscopy and how it’s implemented at the MMT. Visitors to the MMT booth can …

MMT Observing Schedule: February 2024 – July 2024

The observing schedule for February 2024 – July 2024 can be found here.