Less than 50 miles from Tucson, Kitt Peak National Observatory is light years away when it comes to researching the universe.
Kitt Peak is home to arguably the largest collection of major optical telescopes on planet Earth, but it also has an important educational function.
KGUN 9 “Education for the astronomy, education for the Oʼodham culture,” said Kitt Peak Visitors Center Assistant Manager Vivian Segundo.
Segundo is a member of the Tohono Oʼodham Nation and a council representative from the Chukut Kuk District.
She believes visitors should learn about the significant astronomy work being done at Kitt Peak, but also learn about the significance the Oʼodham people place on this awe-inspiring mountain.
“It is a sacred mountain here and our Oʼodham land,” Segundo explained.
Back in 1958, the National Science Foundation had to convince Oʼodham Nation leaders the lease the mountain for a national observatory.
“They had to show them what they were going to actually be doing,” said Segundo. “They did get to look through a telescope. At that time, they called them the people with long eyes.”