Since ancient times, human beings have peered into the night sky and yearned for a closer look at the mysteries of deep space. • That closer look — a grand view of the cosmos through the lenses of powerful mountaintop telescopes — is available to us in Southern Arizona any night of the week. • Even if we're not professional astronomers. • Observatories near Tucson, including one on Kitt Peak southwest of the city and one in the nearby Catalina Mountains, offer stargazing programs for the public. • Program participants get a short course in the night sky — and then enter telescope domes for a firsthand look at planets, galaxies, star clusters, nebulae and other cosmic wonders. • See the cover story inside for a guide to planning astronomical adventures not far from home. Doug Kreutz