Casitas de Gila

Our Skies here at Casitas de Gila Guesthouses are so clear and dark, we couldn't put it off any longer — we got an Orion XT10 Dobsonian Reflector Telescope.

Our Moon, planets, galaxies, nebulas, star clusters, double stars, variable stars, and Messier Objects can all be found in our brilliantly clear Southwestern skies.

Our clear, dark skies offer excellent viewing year-round. However, fall, winter, and spring months are the best times for deep-sky viewing. Guests at the Casitas have the opportunity to marvel at the wonders of the Milky Way with a clarity reached today in only a very few places in the United States.

By late September, Orion the Hunter makes his appearance in the east to begin his winter march across the heavens, as Cygnus the Swan heads towards the western horizon.

All through the winter and early spring, Cassiopeia the Queen and Cepheus the King dance their eternal dance along the Milky Way. Their daughter Andromeda remains forever chained at the foot of Pegasus the Winged Horse, comforted only by the hazy glow of the spiral Andromeda Galazy, the only galaxy other than the Milky Way that can be seen with the naked eye.

It's a toss-up as to what time of the month is the best for night sky viewing at Casitas de Gila Guesthouses. Watching the full moon rise above Turtle Rock is marvelous, and bathes the creek below in a surreal beauty you'll long remember. While in the dark of the moon, the brilliant Milky Way and its thousands of stars seem so close you could reach out and touch them.

For those fascinated with the stars and night sky, we have star charts and daily night-sky viewing guides in each Casita, and there are high-power binoculars available for guest use. If you're rusty on your constellation identification, we'll be glad to point out some of the major ones to get you started.

Michael is happy to conduct guided tours of the heavens, when requested and our schedule allows, with our Orion telescope. Astronomy enthusiasts are encouraged to bring their own telescopes or favorite eye pieces.

More Special Things for Our Guests …
Art Gallery   •   Herb Garden    •   Self-Guided Nature Trail

Please contact us by telephone, fax or e-mail if you would like more information on Casitas de Gila, on availability, or would like to make a reservation.