CACTUS
- Art & landmarks
- In Yermo, California
- 1.6 mi from Route 66
CACTUS was a ground-based telescope outside Daggett, near Barstow, CA, close to the old road. It began life as a solar power station known as Solar Two and was converted into an observatory starting in 2001. It ran only briefly before funding ended, and the facility was demolished in 2009. Nothing remains to visit, but the story is a curious footnote on the desert stretch near Barstow.
What is CACTUS?
The letters of its name spelled out what it was: a converted atmospheric Cherenkov telescope built from Solar-2. Its first observations came in fall 2004, and its last runs took place in November 2005, when National Science Foundation money ran out. The University of California, Davis operated it, and Southern California Edison owned the site.
Visiting CACTUS: tips
The telescope is gone, so there is no site to tour. Liberty Sculpture Park is about 2.5 miles away and Calico about 5.6 miles off.
Practical info
- Hours
- Closed permanently
Sources: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikidata · official site — may be outdated. Suggest a fix
Where to eat near CACTUS
All diners on Route 66 →.jpg/250px-Bagdad_Cafe._(4054050230).jpg)
On the map
Full mapCACTUS with the 6 closest stops and a place to eat (fork and knife). Tap a marker for details.
Tap a dot to see that stop here.
Stops near CACTUS
All of California
2.5 mi from CACTUS
5.6 mi from CACTUS
9.1 mi from CACTUS
10.7 mi from CACTUS
10.8 mi from CACTUS
10.9 mi from CACTUS
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