Mook explained that the building are painted white to keep them from absorbing heat during the day. You don't want temperature differences -- which create moving air currents -- around the telescope. The moving air causes distortion when astronomers take photos through the telescopes.
I think the white paint makes the domes look like kitchen appliances (refrigerators, blenders, bread makers, etc.).
This photo shows the view looking back toward the big telescope. The tallest dome in the distance houses the big telescope. If I remember correctly, the mirror in the big telescope is 5 meters across.
Mook does some work with one of the telescopes on Kitt Peak. He works on a project called the Remotely Controlled Telescope.
