Biosphere 2

This was our first view of Biosphere 2, with the rainforest biome on the left, the living quarters in the middle and the west lung on the right.

Rainforest Biome

This is an image of the rainforest biome at Biosphere 2.

Biosphere 2

This is an image inside the desert biome, looking up into the ocean area.

West Lung

This is an image of the west lung at Biosphere 2. You can clearly see the rubber ceiling and the cement weight that maintains a steady air pressure throughout the biosphere.

Pima Air and Space Museum

Water Plane

Pima Air and Space Museum

Pima Air and Space Museum

This is a replica of an atomic bomb that was dropped by the B52 bomber plane, which was responsible for the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of the Second World War.

Lockheed Blackbird

This is an image of the fastest aeroplane in the world, which is located at the Pima Air and Space museum.

Pima Air and Space Museum

Pima Air and Space Museum

Pima Air and Space Museum

This is a view of the outside aeroplane holding with a wide variety of planes.

Pima Air and Space Museum

This is a jet engine that is used to power space shuttles, which is held at the Pima Air and Space museum.

Landing Pod

This is a replica landing pod, on display at the Pima Air and Space Museum

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

This is a hummingbird in its nest in the hummingbird sanctuary at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

Steward Mirror Lab

This is one of the 8m GMT mirrors being polished; a process which takes up to three years!

Steward Mirror Lab

This is a part of the crane that moves the mirrors within the laboratory.

Steward Mirror Lab

This is an image of an 8m GMT mirror in the process of being set.

Very Dangerous Road!

On the way to the summit of Mount Hopkins, where the 6.5m MMT is located.

6.5m MMT

This is an image of the 6.5m MMT telescope at the Mt Hopkins Whipple Observatory, at an altitude of almost 9000ft.

6.5m MMT

This is an image of the 6.5m MMT at the summit of Mt Hopkins.

Mt Hopkins

Mt Hopkins

The scary road we had to drive along!

Mt Hopkins Whipple Observatory

This is one of the smaller 1.2m telescopes on Mt Hopkins.

1.2m Telescope

Mt Hopkins Whipple Observatory

This is one of the 4 VERITAS telescopes, which are looking for gamma ray bursts.

Titan Missile Museum

This is an aerial view of the missile. The missile is so big that the silo has 8 floors!

Titan Missile Museum

These are some of the computer panels in the Titan II missile control room

Titan Missile Museum

This is an image of one of the underground corridors within the museum.

McMath-Pierce Telescope

This was our first view of the McMath-Pierce Solar telescope at the Kitt Peak National Observatory.

Kitt Peak National Observatory

This is the 2m telepscope that Landolt was using to take his flat field images for his newest star-field research.

2m Telescope

This is the mirror of the 2m telescope at the Kitt Peak National Observatory.

Arlo Landolt

This is Arlo Landolt showing us how he opens the mirror cover of the 2m telescope.

Sarah and Arlo!

Paul!

McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope

This is a view from inside the telescope looking up towards the Sun.

Kitt Peak National Observatory

This is a view over the observatory. The largest telescope that you can see is the 4m Mayall telescope.

4m Mayall Telescope

4m Mayall Telescope

This were the emergency escape ladders from the dome (18 stories high!) to the ground floor. Glad we didn't have to use them...

$m Mayall Telescope

This is an image of the 4m telescope itself, which is currently being set up for the DESI - Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument - which will take multi-object spectra of galaxies.

Spacewatch

This is the first of the Spacewatch telescopes that are on the look out for near Earth asteroids.

Spacewatch

This is the second of the Spacewatch telescopes that are on the look out for near Earth asteroids.

Our Own Little Adventure!

The Grand Canyon was the start of my second week car trip around Arizona, Nevada and California.