Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory, Amado

About Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory

Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory, part of the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, is a working research facility on Mount Hopkins near Amado where visitors explore active astrophysics through its Science Center. The observatory houses the MMT Observatory, the largest visible-light telescope on site, alongside the VERITAS gamma-ray observatory and telescope arrays designed to search for Earth-like exoplanets. Visitors see astrophysics exhibits and live science demonstrations, with views of the surrounding Santa Rita Mountains and the MMT Observatory itself. Specialty-topic tours of the VERITAS telescopes are available. The Science Center opens on select Fridays and Saturdays throughout the year, with hours published on the venue's website. Tickets are sold online through the observatory's dedicated ticketing site. The facility suits anyone interested in seeing working astronomical instruments and learning about current space research.