The mission of the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Assn (TAAA) includes providing opportunities for the community to learn about and share the joy and excitement of astronomy. In keeping with that mission the TAAA makes its facility in Cochise County available to explore the night skies with the help of TAAA volunteers, at no charge to qualified educational groups.

Through the TAAA Astronomy Camp program, TAAA provides an outstanding opportunity for students to be inspired by of the pristine skies of Southern Arizona. The programs include hands on use of telescopes for observing and imaging at our very dark site. Students can take advantage of the Chiricahua Astronomy Complex using a variety of TAAA and volunteer owned equipment.

Groups provide their own transportation to the site, arrange for parent hosts, and are responsible for brining and preparing food.

TAAA provides the site, with up to 7 observatories including visual and imaging telescopes, a classroom, kitchenettes with microwaves and refrigerators, grills, restrooms and sleeping rooms for students and hosts. TAAA also provides knowledgeable guides to the night sky to facilitate either the group’s evening program or various programs TAAA can organize for the group. The TAAA organization works closely with its participating groups to ensure an enriching and rewarding experience at the site, while operating within the rules of safely working with minors.

TAAA recently expanded its site to include new amenities for hosting students. The completed facilities, with rooms to sleep 17 students and teachers, space for classroom activities, access to the club’s 7 telescopes including 4 on the Stinger Learning Pad.  With this infrastructure in place TAAA has the capability of taking its former school observing night program to a new level of support and hands on involvement by students under the clear CAC skies. 

The Camps can be a single evening of viewing or a one or two night’s programs, with daytime study with potential side trips to enjoy the natural environment in and around the Chiricahua National Monument.

The Astronomy Camp program is available during the peak sky viewing seasons of the Fall, Winter and Spring. Activities include planning evening observations based on the objects available in that season’s night sky, selecting the appropriate equipment to observe the objects, instrument training leading to hands on use of telescopes and imaging equipment, and capturing celestial images for further study.

TAAA stands ready to tailor a program for any qualified group, with a focus on high school and college students. The site is reserved certain days of the month for strictly member use, and for other community events, but the calendar is otherwise flexible to respond to hosting interested groups. To discuss the possibility of your group participating in the dark sky experience of the Astronomy Camp, or exploring the programs in greater dept, contact us at AstronomyCampDirector@tucsonastronomy.org for further details.