butterfield rv resort observatory

We found this observatory when looking for a Rotary meeting, since the RV Resort also hosts the local Rotary. It is reportedly the only RV park in the country with its own observatory. I asked if we could visit it, even though we were staying in a hotel, not the Butterfield. (We had been disappointed that the observatory in Benson with a website did not respond to our email form we submitted -- and it seems it might either be closed or has changed names one time too many. At any rate it was not available, but this one was.) For a very modest fee of $2 per person, we met for that night's viewing at the observatory. The telescope was a 16 inch - I forget the type. The guide claimed to be "just an amateur who likes the cosmos" but he is too modest. We had come to Benson specifically to see the stars, as we live in a very light area and Benson is listed as a dark sky community (with the other observatory listed - different name than we found when we arrived, and as I said, we were not able to make contact - no response to our email and when we followed the website directions and drove out there, the gate was locked). This evening in the RV Observatory was the highlight of our stargazing, as we saw planets, star clusters, specific starts, another galaxy and "soft fuzzies" (some type of group of stars, like near Orion's sword). The star "tour" was almost 1 hour and 45 minutes and each of us got to look through the telescope at each star or other heavenly body he told us about. It was cold, but after our eyes got used to the dark and we could see all these stars, we hardly noticed. It was the best "bargain" ever and definitely a sight to remember all those times we look up and can only see the moon - if we are lucky enough to see that. For those who travel in RVs, it looked like a wonderful place to stay. The staff I met were pleasant. We could see people playing cards or games in the community room. I am always partial to places that host Rotary Clubs, the first and most effective service clubs in the world.