Years ago, a friend from Albuquerque drove me to Magdalena to see the Very Large Array (VLA). It’s located approximately 24 miles west of Magdalena. I’d seen the movie Contact starring Jodie Foster and wanted to see where it was filmed. The 1997 science fiction film was set at the VLA, a fitting backdrop for the film’s exploration of extraterrestrial communication
The radio astronomy observatory really does astronomical research. We were able to walk around the property and explore the VLA Visitor Center to learn about its contributions to science. Then the sky went dark, transforming an already spooky scene into a downright scary one. It was as if UAPs (Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena) were arriving for a look-see.
The observatory is the reason for visiting the area and that’s enough of a reason, it’s impressive and one-of-a-kind. When I was there, there wasn’t much else.
Magdalena has a population of approximately 800 people.