We made a trip to the Sunspot Observatory yesterday, and most of the snow we saw a few days earlier was gone. Although we did notice that it had snowed again in Cloudcroft since we were up there last.
According to Wikipedia:
"The Sunspot Solar Observatory (SSO) is an astronomical observatory designed for the study of the Sun, located in the Sacramento Mountains in Sunspot, New Mexico, United States, approximately 18 miles (29 km) south of Cloudcroft. The observatory is operated by New Mexico State University (NMSU) and the National Solar Observatory (NSO). Access to the telescopes and grounds are open to the public on guided tours."
The Sunspot Solar Observatory is located in Sunspot, New Mexico, and is part of the Lincoln National Forest on the western edge of the Sacramento Mountains. The ~250 acres (100 ha) area is located on National Forest Service lands, managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service (USFS), Lincoln National Forest, and the Sacramento Ranger District. Established by the U.S. Air Force (USAF) via a Memorandum of Agreement with the USFS in 1950, the facility was transferred to NSF in 1976. NSF and the USFS executed a land use agreement (1980) to formalize this transfer and the continued use of the land for the NSO. It was later known as the Sacramento Peak Observatory, and as one site of the National Solar Observatory (NSO). In 2018, all scientific research and public outreach at the facility was taken over by the Sunspot Solar Observatory and AURA remain the operator of infrastructure on the site, including maintenance."
According to Wikipedia:
"The Sunspot Solar Observatory (SSO) is an astronomical observatory designed for the study of the Sun, located in the Sacramento Mountains in Sunspot, New Mexico, United States, approximately 18 miles (29 km) south of Cloudcroft. The observatory is operated by New Mexico State University (NMSU) and the National Solar Observatory (NSO). Access to the telescopes and grounds are open to the public on guided tours."
The Sunspot Solar Observatory is located in Sunspot, New Mexico, and is part of the Lincoln National Forest on the western edge of the Sacramento Mountains. The ~250 acres (100 ha) area is located on National Forest Service lands, managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service (USFS), Lincoln National Forest, and the Sacramento Ranger District. Established by the U.S. Air Force (USAF) via a Memorandum of Agreement with the USFS in 1950, the facility was transferred to NSF in 1976. NSF and the USFS executed a land use agreement (1980) to formalize this transfer and the continued use of the land for the NSO. It was later known as the Sacramento Peak Observatory, and as one site of the National Solar Observatory (NSO). In 2018, all scientific research and public outreach at the facility was taken over by the Sunspot Solar Observatory and AURA remain the operator of infrastructure on the site, including maintenance."
| As fascinating as it was to see the inside of the telescope, although it wasn't open because of the cloud cover, we thoroughly enjoyed watching the enormous herds of deer around the facility. Neither one of us had seen herds of more than 30 deer before, so it was great viewing! | |
The Observatory also afforded a wonderful scenic viewing area of Alamogordo and the White Sands beyond. The view was truly spectacular.
One of my goals this season was to learn and edit videos because there are so many places we visit that photos just don't do justice. This is a continual work in progress as I learn Imovie editing, so please be patient with me.
Below is a short 13 second video - my first - of this panoramic view. Let me know if you like it!
Below is a short 13 second video - my first - of this panoramic view. Let me know if you like it!