Some experiences stay with you long after they end. For me, my time at Kitt Peak with the ASTRO 461 group was one of those experiences. Living under the vast Arizona sky for a month, we didn't just learn about telescopes, but about the people who build them, the land they stand on, and the stars they reveal.
ASTRO 461 is Michigan’s Ground-Based Observatories course. For four weeks, students live and work at Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO), conducting original research using professional telescopes. The course also engages students with the broader context of modern astronomy; the engineering behind cutting-edge telescopes, the logistical demands of remote observatories, and the historical/cultural significance of the land itself.
Our week of observing at the MDM Observatory was my favorite part of our trip to KPNO. The sound that the 1.3-meter telescope makes when it rotates is a deep, steady rumble, like the mountain itself is waking up. I’ll still never forget the moment I first saw a distant galaxy through the eyepiece of that telescope, not on a screen, but with my own eyes. It was a visceral reminder that the universe isn’t just data, it’s a place, vast and alive.
This experience made me fall in love with astronomy all over again. It wasn’t just a class; it was a once-in-a-lifetime journey that left me with incredible friends, unforgettable stories, and a certain passion to pursue astronomy.
