Rose City Astronomers: Argentina/GAMA Observing Adventure

Rose City Astronomers

Getting to Mendoza, Argentina

Since our wonderful two-year exchange between RCA and the GAMA group of Mendoza, Argentina, a number of people have expressed interest in going to visit the GAMA group and getting to view the wonderful Southern Skies near the highest mountain in the western hemisphere, Mt. Aconcagua. It is very easy to get there and the GAMA group are warm and gracious hosts.

First, contact Leo Cavagnaro at mcava at ciudad.com.ar, or Jose Galli (Pepe) at josegalli2003 at yahoo.com or Carlos Gutierrez at cegceg at gmail.com.

Then, fly to Santiago, Chile. From there, fly to Mendoza, Argentina. If you are just passing through Santiago, you do not have to pay the airport tax in Chile (though you may have to stand your ground on this point).

Mendoza is a city of a million people. There are a number of good hotels, moderately priced to sheer luxury, and good restaurants, shopping and strolling, and other urban amenities, such as a very large and beautiful city park. You will find many English-speakers among the GAMA group, and outside it. The GAMA people will be glad to help you with hotel and local transportation questions in Mendoza.

Viewing is done in a mountain valley - called Uspallata - about two hours outside of Mendoza .The best place to stay is the Gran Hotel Uspallata, http://www.granhoteluspallata.com.ar/. Uspallata is a ski area, and the hotel is like a lodge. It even has a youth hostel attached to it. The rates are moderate, the food is good and cheap and the accommodations spacious but not luxurious. It’s walking distance from downtown Uspallata. The hotel has bicycles for its guests, tennis courts, and there is hiking and rafting and horseback riding nearby. GAMA also has a local observing site equivalent to our Larch Mountain about 25 minutes outside of Mendoza that the members of the club may be able to take you to.

Their seasons are opposite of ours, so their best viewing season is during our winter, their March is our September and vice versa. GAMA has worked up a southern skies “Messier list” and other observing guide to help you make the most of your observing nights (which, by the way, can be cold). We encourage you to contact the GAMA group and go if you can. The club is made up of serious observers whose knowledge of the southern skies is excellent and whose passion for the stars is as strong as yours is. If you have any questions, contact Margaret Campbell-McCrea at mmcrea at nwlink.com.

Home