Most nights at the Rancho Hidalgo astronomy and equestrian village near Animas, New Mexico, are clear as a bell. Occasionally, however, clouds roll in, and what’s an astronomer to do then? The following list chronicles some of the things I’ve done at Rancho Hidalgo — most of them on clear days.
1) Hike the mountains.
Mountains lie in every direction. Paths are abundant. Developer Gene Turner’s land abuts the Coronado National Forest (which, to observers, means a vast nearby area will stay dark). If you want to hike one mile or 50, you won’t have to travel far to get to a trailhead. One of my future goals is to use a metal detector to search for meteorites along some of the roads Turner has cut.
2) Visit an ancient ruin.
A couple days ago, Turner, his nephew Zach, my wife Holley, and I hiked up to an outcropping of rock to view pictographs created by ancient Pueblo People, probably the Mogollon. We spent several hours just exploring and marveling at the view (next time, binoculars!), and we covered only a small fraction of the area. An additional nicety of this site is that it’s only a 5-minute drive from Turner’s home.
3) Find copper or silver minerals in mine tailings.
The last time Astronomy’s Editor, David Eicher, and I were at Rancho Hidalgo together, Gene took us to several abandoned mines. Once there, we poked around in the tailings (leftover material from the mining operations), and we found numerous specimens containing copper and silver ores. Gene explained that we could find many other mines visually on most cool mornings because the mine entrances emit vapor as the Sun begins to heat the ground around them.
4) Do some birdwatching.
Because Turner also farms alfalfa and chilies on land he owns, runoff water has created some lush (OK, lush for the desert) areas where birds and other wildlife flourish. On this trip, I’ve seen numerous species of small birds, an owl I thought was a barred owl (but when I get back I’ll check with someone at Birder’s World magazine down the hall to confirm this), and a blue heron. I have a picture of the heron. In fact, Turner has commissioned a pair of expert birders to survey his property and list the species they spot. They’re here now, and they already have sighted more than 100 species. Future plans call for the creation of more habitats and lots of trails.
5) Check out a ghost town.
If you’re into the history of the old West, this is the place to be. Many famous outlaws holed up in the regions on and surrounding Turner’s property. On almost every drive it seemed we passed a ghost town. Turner plans to restore at least one of them.
6) Go horseback riding.
Did I mention that Rancho Hidalgo is an equestrian community as well as an astronomical one? Turner constructed a large rodeo arena, and the ranch has hosted two rodeos already. Another one is coming up next month. A side benefit is the horses on the property. The experienced ranch hands saddled up several, and Gene led us on a gorgeous ride to yet another Native American site and another future birding area. My horse was in no hurry, so I brought up the rear. No problem. That just gave me more time to scan the vast landscape.
7) Tour a museum.
To learn more about the region and its animal inhabitants, we stopped at the new Chiricahua Desert Museum in Rodeo, New Mexico. This facility lies only 10 miles from Gene’s home. We saw snakes (including one rattlesnake that seemed particularly annoyed at our presence), lizards, a Gila monster, and more. The place also has a large art collection and a great gift shop.
8) Visit other astronomers and vendors.
During my stay at Rancho Hidalgo, I took the opportunity to visit the observatories of LightBuckets online telescope rentals and the home of its owner, Steve Cullen. He gave Holley and me a detailed tour of all the LightBuckets’ telescopes. What a great setup!
On another day, we spent a couple of hours with friends Jack and Alice Newton. Jack is a renowned astroimager and supernova hunter. In fact, he told me that he had recently discovered this decade’s first supernova, 2010A, which lies in the peculiar galaxy UGC 2019. Congratulations, Jack!
9) Make new astronomy friends.
The word is out. Rancho Hidalgo has clear and steady skies most nights, and land is available. That means observers, imagers, and professional astronomers could be visiting at any time. Just this week, folks came down from Tucson and from two locations in Ohio. Gene and Loy always invite such guests to dinner. Every time, visitors ask me how good the sky is, and on many occasions, they have joined us for an observing session. I really appreciate Gene’s standard introduction: “I’d like you to meet our good friends from Astronomy magazine.”
10) Eat.
Gene Turner and his partner, Loy Guzman, are superb hosts. When I stay with them, the rule is that nothing in the kitchen is off limits. “Eat whatever you want, whenever you want,” said Loy. And serious temptation lurks in the form of a huge refrigerator sporting twin glass doors next to a similar freezer. The refrigerator can hold some six times the amount a normal unit can house, and they keep it, and the freezer, well stocked. Steak for breakfast, anyone?
Related: