Vega–Bray Observatory

Vega-Bray Observatory sits on a small hill overlooking the San Pedro River Valley just east of Benson, Arizona, roughly 4,000 feet above the valley floor.

About Vega-Bray Observatory

The observatory was founded in 1990 by Max Bray, an optician, and Dr. Eduardo Vega, a pathologist, who built it alongside the Astronomers Inn, a bed and breakfast meant as a gathering place for friends interested in the night sky. It remains privately owned and dedicated to public astronomy education, working with local schools and hosting amateur astronomers from across the country.

History

Bray and Vega ran the observatory and inn together until their deaths in 2000 and 2003 respectively, after which Vega's wife sold the operation. Whetstone Development purchased the property in June 2006, and by 2009 new owners had taken over, remodeling the inn and upgrading the observatory equipment.

Telescopes & research

The observatory's landmark instrument is a 20-inch Maksutov catadioptric telescope built by Max Bray himself and permanently mounted in its own dome; at the time it was built, it was the largest telescope of its kind in Arizona. Additional refractor and reflector telescopes ranging from 6 to 20 inches, some computerized and some manually operated, are housed in a main observing room that converts into an open-air setup for stargazing.

Location & getting there

The site sits about a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Phoenix, just outside Benson, with the elevated hilltop position giving clear views over the San Pedro River Valley.

Visiting Vega-Bray Observatory

Amateur astronomers can use the observatory and its telescopes for a fee, with staff on hand to assist. The site has gone through periods of closure for renovation in the past, so it's worth confirming current opening status with the operators before visiting.

See your named star from here

With a range of telescopes from 6 to 20 inches, including a large permanently mounted instrument, Vega-Bray Observatory is well equipped to point at a specific set of coordinates. Bring your named star's RA/Dec details along on a visit. Name a star or explore the catalogue first.