Getting Some Space

Road Trip Day Five

We woke early to find the trees almost devoid of snow and a definite thaw. It was still cold but there was not a cloud in the sky and the light was almost painful reflecting off the snow. We were away by 08.00 hrs. First stop Flagstaff about 25 miles away.

We called at the tourist info place in town, picked up some maps and a couple of Route 66 mugs in which to drink our Yorkshire Tea before driving the mile or so up Mars Hill to the World famous Lowell Observatory. I was quite keen to visit here anyway and as GC is studying 'Space' at school it was too good an opportunity to pass by. It was from here that Clyde Tombaugh discovered Planet X which we now call Pluto. We joined the 'Pluto Tour' which enabled us to look at the actual images through the Blink Comparator which led to Tombaugh's discovery and then went to the observatory and looked at the telescope he used as well.

Pluto Tour. Lowell Observatory

The telescope used to find Pluto

Later, Wifey and I had a look at the Sun through a Solar Viewing Telescope, seeing some solar flares as they were erupting. Try as we might we could not convince GC to have a go. She was adamant we should not look at the Sun through a telescope as we would be blinded. I blame that teacher of hers!

A quick lunch in the RV before driving another 40 odd miles to Meteor Crater - one of the best preserved impact crater sites on the planet. I impact site terms it is quite small but at 3/4 of a mile across and over 500 feet deep it is an awesome spectacle. We had a good look around from the viewing areas and then I joined the hour long guided tour along the rim while wife and daughter headed for the interactive museum. Good choice as GC would have been bored by the talk but I found it fascinating.

Meteor Crater

It was gone 16.00 hrs by now so we drove a few miles back to I40 and stopped at the RV park there rather than go any further. We had a early evening as GC is still not 100%. She is tired as is Mummy who has been up with most nights with her. My turn tonight!

Great starlit sky tonight with no clouds at all but too much light from the RVs for any really good pictures. Got to see some shooting stars though.