The Star Hill Inn

Sapello, New Mexico

35º46'N / 105º17'W / 2195m

Above: the Star Hill Inn is a long, narrow strip of land that lies between two ridges. The Inn is a first-rate facility with tons of amenities, equipment, and great skies.

Right: The heart of the Inn as seen in close-up from the north ridgetop.

Observing deck, library as seen from the south

Left: Looking north. The cabins are off to the left, and the 24" Dome is off to the right.

The hillside observing deck is flanked by the Library building on the right and the "Toyhouse" on the left.

Right: Looking east (cabins behind the camera). At left is the dome for the 24" telescope.

The building on the right is the "Toyhouse" which contains all sorts of telescopes, binoculars, tripods, and accessories that are available for rent.

The Toyhouse, observing deck, and Library.

Left: The Library is on the left. The tall wooden boxes shelter the telescopes that live on-deck. There are electrical outlets at various places around the deck and for each pier.

The white-tubed telescope at left is in a small area covered by gravel. While messy, the gravel allows you to bury your wires to avoid tripping on them.

Right: Here's my C8 on one of the available piers on the observing deck.

The piers are compatible with both Celestron and Meade SCT's.

Left: Here's the inside of the library building (looking north-east).

Coffee and cookies (unlimited Oreos!) are available on the table at left; bookcases run all along the wall with the window and contain a nice selection of astronomical and nature titles.

Right: Here's the north-east corner of the library. There is a VCR and lots of movies to watch.

I particularly recommend "Plan 9 From Outer Space" and "Dumb and Dumber"!

Left: Although all the cabins at the Inn are very nice, my favourite is "Cygnus", pictured here. It is very spacious and is the closest cabin to the observing deck.

Right: Here's the view from the front door of "Cygnus". The kitchen features a gas stove/oven, fridge, and microwave oven. All dishes and cutlery are supplied -- just add food!

Living room and kitchen inside Cygnus cabin

Left: The living room area is very spacious and cozy. The window curtains can be lowered to make the place very dark in the daytime.

Right: Here's one of the two bedrooms in "Cygnus". The beds are very comfortable, and all linen is supplied. As with the living room, the curtains on the window make the room very dark for daytime sleeping.