Around the Cracker Barrel - The Latest on The Fred Whipple Observatory (Aired 12/12/2025)

This week on Around the Cracker Barrel, host Guy Atchley welcomes listeners to a conversation centered on the Whipple Observatory. Broadcasting live from Posada Java, Guy is joined by Amy Oliver, Head of Education and Public Outreach, and introduces Whipple’s new Director, Gabrelle Saurage. With decades of experience at major observatories across the Southwest, Hawaii, and even aboard the SOFIA airborne telescope, Saurage brings a wealth of knowledge—and an ambitious vision—to her new role at the Smithsonian-operated facility atop Mount Hopkins.Saurage outlines plans for a “renaissance” at Whipple Observatory, aimed at expanding both its scientific reach and its connection to the community. On the science side, Whipple is opening its skies to additional universities and institutions by offering telescope access and welcoming new instrumentation, creating opportunities for collaboration while generating revenue to reinvest in staffing, research, and facility upgrades. Central to Whipple’s work is the iconic 6.5-meter MMT telescope, one of the largest in the world, along with several other powerful instruments that continue to produce cutting-edge science every night.Public outreach is also a major focus, with plans to reintroduce star parties, guided site tours, and expanded visitor experiences. Amy Oliver shares updates on re-envisioned tour programs, including new, more comfortable transportation vehicles and future ticketed experiences that will allow the public unprecedented access to the mountain, telescopes, and observatory facilities. The conversation also highlights Whipple’s role in protecting Southern Arizona’s dark skies, with ongoing efforts to update outdoor lighting codes and preserve the region’s unique ability to see the stars.The episode closes with excitement about upcoming lectures, new instruments arriving at the MMT, facility upgrades, and private tour opportunities already available. Together, Saurage and Oliver paint a compelling picture of Whipple Observatory not just as a scientific powerhouse, but as an emerging astrotourism destination—inviting the community to look up, reconnect with the night sky, and rediscover one of Southern Arizona’s hidden gems.