Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory

The Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory is a research facility on Mount Hopkins that houses several telescopes at different elevations. The MMT telescope, with its 6.5-meter mirror, sits at the summit and serves as one of the primary instruments for studying distant objects in space.

The facility was established in 1966 as Mount Hopkins Observatory and renamed in 1981 to honor astronomer Fred Lawrence Whipple, a planetary science pioneer. The renaming recognized his major contributions to our understanding of the solar system and comets.

The observatory maintains regular connections with the scientific community through collaborations between the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and the University of Arizona.

Visitors can reach the observatory through scheduled tours from the base visitor center, where educational exhibits explain the work of astronomers and researchers. The tours allow guests to see different telescopes and learn how scientists use them to study space.

The facility houses the VERITAS system with four 12-meter telescopes that detect gamma rays by capturing Cherenkov radiation in Earth's atmosphere. This specialized approach allows scientists to observe cosmic events invisible to traditional telescopes.

Location: Amado

Location: Mount Hopkins

Inception: 1966

Official opening: 1968

Elevation above the sea: 2,606 m

Part of: Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Smithsonian Institution

Website: http://linmax.sao.arizona.edu/help/FLWO/whipple.html

GPS coordinates: 31.68110,-110.87800

Latest update: December 9, 2025 18:44