The Town and The City Festival in Lowell, Tucson's new Astro Trail, and a watch geared to runners

Boston Globe

17-04-2025

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Sign up for Tucson's new (and free) Astro Trail guide and use it to explore the area's stunning night sky preserves and other astronomical attractions, including the newly reopened Kitt Peak National Observatory (pictured here).
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THERE
Explore Tucson's new Astro Trail
Visit observatories, dark sky preserves, science centers, a planetarium, and numerous other space-related sites along greater Tucson's new Astro Trail. The Tucson area, which has the headquarters for Dark Sky International (formerly the International Dark Sky Association), has been known as a stargazer's haven ever since regional officials enacted light pollution ordinances in the 1970s. Sign up for the new free Astro Trail guide and use it to explore the area's stunning night sky views and astronomical attractions. Highlights include the Pima Air and Space Museum, which is one of the largest non-government-funded aviation and space museums in the world; the newly reopened Kitt Peak National Observatory, which is home to one of the largest arrays of optical and radio telescopes in the world; the Flandrau Science Center and Planetarium, which recently opened its new Universe of Science exhibit, focusing on the human brain, a monsoon storm, and deep space; and Saguaro National Park, one of only two national parks to receive an Urban Night Sky Place designation. Also see a sample of the Bennu asteroid at the Gem and Mineral Museum (one of only three public places where a piece of this asteroid can be viewed), visit the newly reopened and renovated Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory Visitor and Science Center, and enjoy immersive stargazing programs and astronomy camps through the Mount Lemmon Skycenter, which offers access to two of the largest public telescopes in the southwest. Sign up for the guide online and then receive a mobile passport (through a text link) that lists all exhibits, attractions, and astronomical-related destinations, and discounts to local restaurants and sites.
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Amazfit's Cheetah Pro GPS watch is made for runners.
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A watch geared to runners
Whether you're running on routes near home or exploring a new destination — for fun or training — check out Amazfit's Cheetah Pro watch, which is made for runners. The lightweight watch has exceptional GPS technology that helps track your movements when running through forests or cities with tall buildings. Download color maps and routes from the Zepp app so you can accurately navigate new runs even in offline mode. Also store your favorite route and then track your improvement on that route over time. The watch tracks heart rate, stress, sleep, and oxygen saturation so you can train better and run smarter. It also offers AI-powered coaching that provides personalized training input to help you improve over time, and adjusts your workout schedule each week based on your progress (so you don't overtrain and to help you reach your race or training goals). Create templates on the watch for interval training and use those to easily guide you through workouts. Store songs on the Cheetah Pro so you can run with music. The Cheetah Pro has an ultra-bright, easy-to-read, and durable (Gorilla Glass 3) screen, a nylon strap, and a battery that lasts up to 14 days (but requires a proprietary plug to recharge). Choose from a selection of watch face themes and opt for a daily morning update that provides the current weather, your sleep data, and the watch's battery power. Currently $159.99.
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KARI BODNARCHUK
Kari Bodnarchuk can be reached at