There are few better places for stargazing than the American Southwest. Nighttime views from its deserts and mountains are unblemished by light pollution from cities, revealing a vast canopy of constellations that simply defies the imagination. Visitors to Arizona who are curious to see how astronomers peer into outer space can pay a visit to Kitt Peak National Observatory, a cutting-edge scientific research facility in the Arizona-Sonoran Desert. Located about 55 miles west of Tucson, the observatory boasts the largest collection of optical telescopes in the world, with 24 optical and two radio telescopes representing eight astronomical research organizations. This is an active research facility, buzzing with activity day and night, which makes it all the more interesting to come take a tour. One-hour guided tours are available daily, taking groups to the McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope (the world's largest solar telescope), the 2.1-m telescope (a 1964 workhouse that's still in use today), and the Mayall 4-m Telescope, which boasts a visitors gallery with 360-degree views of Kitt Peak and the surrounding desert. To see some actual stars, take part in the Nightly Observing Program, where guests can view planets and distant galaxies through fancy Ritchey-Chrétien and Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes. Sounds pretty far out to me. The observatory is less than two hours from several Starwood properties, including the Sheraton Tucson Hotel & Suites.

[image via astro.umd.edu]