Mileposts/Calendar

Mileposts HEAVENLY HOTLINE

Tucson's Flandrau Science Center and Planetarium operates a celestial news line to help amateur astronomers find their way around the firmament. Call (602) 621-4310 for a recorded update.

The planetarium also offers great exhibits including a giant walk-through asteroid with an "alien's-eye view" of an asteroid belt - spectacular laser shows, lectures, and films. There's a 16-inch telescope available for stargazing and an astronomy shop. All exhibits are free. For information, call (602) 621-4515.

GRAND CANYON AIRPORT

Travelers passing through the state's third busiest skyport will enjoy a more user-friendly facility thanks to major improvements now under way. Projects designed to accommodate an increasing number of aircraft and passengers at Grand Canyon Airport include a new terminal, a new entrance to the airport, heliports, a new road, and additional parking areas - barring delays, all scheduled for completion by late this year.

DINOSAUR ROBOTS

The whole family will enjoy the lively animated dinosaur exhibit at Mesa Southwest Museum (53 N. Macdonald, Mesa). A while back, a stegosaurus, an apatosaurus, and a tyrannosaurus joined the museum's triceratops-in-residence, in a prehistoric wing that focuses on Arizona as it was 65 million to 225 million years ago. Information: (602) 644-2230.

INN-SIDER TIPS

Maybe it's time to check out - or into - one of Arizona's many charming small inns. There's one located on an apple farm and another in an "English garden environment." To find out where these hostelries and more than 6,000 others are, check at your favorite bookstore for the 1991-1992 Complete Guide to Bed & Breakfasts, Inns & Guesthouses by Pamela Lanier ($16.95, Lanier Publications, Berkley, CA). The detailed paperback lists accommodations in the U.S. and Canada. "This makes New York's Trump Tower look like a Circle K," says Amran Knishinsky, a partner in the $125 million Scottsdale Galleria. Trust us, this glitzy new mall is worth a visit even if you hate shopping. In addition to specialty shops and restaurants, it has a musical fountain with an 80-foot waterfall, a 350-seat IMAX theater, and a 2,000-seat movie complex.

DESTINATION SHOPPING DINING OUTDOORS

This recipe for Rhodes Hot Salsa Pot Roast, from Arizona Highways latest cookbook, Outdoor Cooking: From Backyard to Backpack, made life in Washington, D.C., - far from Arizona vittles easier for former Congressman John J. Rhodes and his family. The down-home dish serves 12-14 (and makes great leftovers).

5-pound pot roast of beef Salt and pepper to taste 1 large onion, sliced 1 7-ounce can green chili peppers, drained 4 fresh medium-size tomatoes, quartered Rub seasonings into meat. Put into cast-iron Dutch oven or heavy baking pan. In blender, combine onion, green chilies, and tomatoes until smooth. Pour mixture over roast and bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees for 4 hours or until fork tender.

CALENDAR Fiesta Bowl Football Classic; January 1; Tempe

Two of the nation's top college football teams will meet at Arizona State University's Sun Devil Stadium to kick off a bowl game that's become a New Year's tradition. If the game's not a sellout, tickets can be had for $36. Pace yourself if you attend the big Sunkist Fiesta Bowl Parade in Phoenix, December 31, so you'll have the energy to cheer your favorite team. Information: 1 (800) 635-5748; in metropolitan Phoenix, 350-0911.

Sled-Dog Races; January 4-5 (depending upon snowfall); Alpine

There aren't any sleddog races farther south in the U.S. than this one held outside of Alpine, a tiny community in the ApacheSitgreaves National Forest near the Arizona-New Mexico border. Drivers and teams of four to eight dogs try to outrun each other on threeto eightmile courses, and people come from all over to cheer them on. An additional attraction probably is the scenic countryside, which affords some of the best cross-country skiing in the state. Information: 339-4330.

Dixieland at the London Bridge; January 17-19; Lake Havasu City

Ramada London Bridge Resort's annual jazzfest spotlights the Night Blooming Jazzmen and a number of other bands, including three from Arizona. The resort overlooks the famous bridge and an English Village full of shops for browsing between performances. Daily tickets, $10-$25; three-day pass, $45. Information: 1 (800) 624-7939.

Bed Race; January 18; Oatman

No spitting, no motors, three wheels must touch the ground at all times, and the judge's decision is final! These are the rules of one of the wackiest races you'll ever find, and where you'll find it is tiny Oatman, an old gold-mining town (south of Bullhead City on fabled Route 66) where burros roam the streets cadging treats from tourists. The object of the race is to be the first five-member team to complete a 350-yard obstacle course. The fun, including live music and gunfight reenactments, starts at 12:30 P.M. Watching is free; competing costs a ten spot per team. Information: 768-2760.

Phoenix Open; January 20-26; Scottsdale

This prestigious golf tourney attracts top PGA players and huge crowds 365,000 last year. Pro and celebrity golfers like the gorgeous Tournament Players Club course the contest's home since it was moved from the Phoenix Country Club in 1987 but spectators love it because it was designed for great gallery viewing even if you're stuck behind a crowd. Information: 870-0163. Information is subject to change; call to confirm before making plans. Unless otherwise indicated, telephone numbers are within area code 602.

For a free, more complete calendar of events, write to Arizona Office of Tourism, 1100 W. Washington St., Phoenix, AZ 85007.