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Highway in New Mexico From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
State Road 6563 (NM 6563), also known as the Sunspot Scenic Byway,[2] is a 15.530-mile-long (24.993 km) two-lane state highway in Otero County, New Mexico, United States.
Sunspot Scenic Byway | ||||
Route information | ||||
Maintained by NMDOT | ||||
Length | 15.530 mi[1] (24.993 km) | |||
Major junctions | ||||
South end | Sacramento Peak National Solar Observatory | |||
North end | NM 130 near Cloudcroft | |||
Location | ||||
Country | United States | |||
State | New Mexico | |||
Counties | Otero | |||
Highway system | ||||
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NM 6563 begins at the National Solar Observatory at Sunspot in the Lincoln National Forest. It then travels northward to its northern terminus at NM 130.[3]
NM 6563 is one of only three four-digit state highways in New Mexico (the others being NM 1113 and NM 5001).[1] It takes its number from the wavelength of the Hydrogen-alpha spectral line (6563 Å) used by scientists at the observatory to study the solar chromosphere and to locate solar flares on the Sun.[4]
The solar observatory added signs along the highway in 2011 with the names of the planets as part of a 1:250 million model of the distances between planets in the Solar System.[5]
The highway was designated a National Forest scenic byway on October 6, 1990.[6]
The entire route is in Otero County.
Location | mi[1] | km | Destinations | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sunspot | 0.000 | 0.000 | Sacramento Peak National Solar Observatory | Southern terminus | |
| 15.530 | 24.993 | NM 130 (Cox Canyon Highway) – Cloudcroft, Mayhill | Northern terminus | |
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi |