The Kitt Peak National Observatory has the world’s largest collection of optical telescopes, with 25 optical and 2 radio telescopes, and was the first national observatory in the US. The observatory sits at an astounding altitude of 6875 feet, which is just below the summit of Kitt Peak itself.

 

The mountain was first selected as a site for a national observatory for ground based optical astronomy in 1958 by the director Aden Meinel, out of a choice of over 100 mountains. Kitt Peak was chosen for many reasons, including its frequently clear weather, steady atmosphere, low humidity and the little light pollution produced by Tucson, approximately 55 miles northwest of the site. Another reason that it was chosen was because of the excellently trained members of staff at the nearby University of Arizona, who were able to aid building and manning the telescope.

 

Before the arrival of the Kitt Peak National Observatory, there was no place for astronomers to carry out research other than the institutions that they worked for. After the successful launch of Sputnik in 1957, however, astronomers were enthused to have a place of research that anyone could use. They began to petition for government funding for a national observatory, and were successful in 1958 when the building of the Kitt Peak site began.

 

The site is now home to some of the largest telescope in the world, including the Mayall 4m telescope, the 3.5m WIYN telescope, and the McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope, which is the largest solar telescope in the world.