Grand Canyon Star Party event less than 2 weeks away: How to best enjoy the 35th annual celestial show
This event, sponsored by the National Park Service (NPS), allows people from all over the country to attend evening telescope viewings and laser-guided constellation talks under the night sky.
NPS officials state that the South Rim of the park will feature a nightly slideshow from a special guest speaker at the Canyon Visitor Plaza, followed by free telescope viewing behind the building.
According to the NPS event page, Park Rangers will offer constellation tours at the South Rim starting at 9 p.m., 9:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. local time. At least one telescope is wheelchair-accessible for all to enjoy the beautiful views.
"Dozens of telescopes will offer views of planets, double stars, star clusters, nebulae and distant galaxies," read a statement from the NPS.
On the North Rim, telescopes are set up on the porch of the Grand Canyon Lodge every evening to check out the amazing views. The NPS states that an astronomy-related program begins at 7:30 p.m. in the lodge auditorium, along with constellation talks throughout the evening.
The NPS recommends viewing the sky after 9 p.m. for the best possible experience. A light source is suggested for the walk to the viewing areas, but white lights are not permitted in the telescope lot. The NPS suggests using red lights to avoid viewing complications for others in the area.
Missing Seattle Ski Mountaineer Found Dead After 3,000-Foot Fall From Alaska's Mt. Mckinley
The NPS encourages visitors to bring warm layers of clothing, as temperatures quickly drop after sunset.Original article source: Grand Canyon Star Party event less than 2 weeks away: How to best enjoy the 35th annual celestial show
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
2 days ago
- Forbes
The Top 6 Weather Conspiracy Theories Debunked
SANTA FE, NM - APRIL 10, 2015: Jet aircraft leave streaks of contrails across the sky above Santa ... More Fe, New Mexico. (Photo by) For whatever reason, many weather conspiracy theories have crawled out of the fringes and into mainstream discussions. Over the years, many of us have tried to play 'Whac-A-Mole' with them, but they live on like 'zombies' marching around the Internet and social media wasteland. Let's try to debunk the top six weather conspiracies currently in circulation right now. Cloud Seeding Let's start here since it has been in the news lately. People have done there 'own research' and concluded that cloud seeding caused the Texas Floods. That has been disproven. While there is plenty of information out there about cloud seeding, it is important to develop a filter to distinguish sales pitch from science. As I recently wrote in my cloud seeding primer, it is not new, and results have been found inconclusive or minimally effective at best. My colleague Tom Gill puts it best that, 'The effect of cloud seeding on the kinds of floods we've seen recently is comparable to striking a match to a raging inferno.' Candidly, I wish it was more effective so that we could eradicate economically harmful drought and raging wildfires like those happening across the U.S. right now. In this photo provided by the National Park Service, smoke from wildfires settles over Grand Canyon ... More National Park in northern Arizona on Friday, July 11, 2025. (Joelle Baird/Grand Canyon National Park) Geoengineering and Chemtrails The concept of geoengineering has been around for decades. As scholar within the field, it has also been referred to as 'climate intervention.' It has been studied by the National Academies and many credible scientific organizations. The American Meteorological Society wrote a policy statement in 2022 that stated, 'Such efforts are now commonly referred to as climate intervention (also called geoengineering): the deliberate manipulation of physical, chemical, or biological aspects of the Earth system with the intention of tempering the harmful effects of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions.' Oddly, in recent years, I have noticed a disturbing conflation of geoengineering with misinformation about contrails. A National Weather Service website defines contrails as, 'Condensation trails, frequently called Contrails…. Cloud-like streamers frequently observed to form behind aircraft flying in clear, cold, humid air.' NWS noted two processes for formation. The website went on to say, 'The first method occurs when water vapor that accompanies the exhaust from a jet engine is added to the atmosphere. If the humidifying effect of this moisture addition overcomes the heat of combustion, then exhaust trails will form…. The second process for forming a condensation trail occurs in air that is clear, but almost fully saturated with water vapor. The aerodynamic pressure reduction resultant of air flowing around a propeller or wing tips can cool the air to induce condensation, thus forming 'aerodynamic trails.'' TORONTO, ON - February 3 - The breath of a worker on Yonge St. can be seen in the air on a bitterly ... More cold day in Toronto. Lance McMillan/Toronto StarFebruary-3-2023 (Photo by Lance McMillan/Toronto Star via Getty Images) In my over 30 years of experience as an atmospheric scientist, there are things that I have discovered about public understanding of weather. Concepts like probability of precipitation, concepts that are counter to personal mental models, and multiple processes are challenging. For example, temperature decreases as altitude increases. Most planes are flying in very cold altitudes. Though not a perfect analogy, the breath we 'see' on a cold day helps to visualize what's happening with contrails. They are not mind-altering or weather-controlling sprays. The Royal Aeronautical Society has a great website debunking 'chemtrails.' The American Association for the Advancement of Science is one the largest and most credible science societies in the world. AAAS also debunked them by reviewing perspectives from several top experts. Steering Or Controlling Hurricanes I was literally stunned to see claims that Hurricane Milton or Hurricane Helene were being controlled or created. While on a major network being interviewed about Milton, I was asked about it. Yikes! I find it to be quite disrespectful to all families impacted by such tragic storms. I certainly wish we could steer or control hurricanes so that they could be sent out to sea and not harm a single soul or piece of infrastructure. Every now and then, the idea of 'nuking' hurricanes resurfaces. That thought has been around for a while too, but in a previous piece, I discussed why experts have concluded that's a bad idea. Several years ago people claimed that the U.S. government had a massive cloud machine. It turned out to be a NASA engine test facility in Mississippi. In recent months, it has emerged that some people believe weather radars are being weaponized to control the weather or harm people. CNN's Andrew Freedman documented this trend. TOPSHOT - A drone image shows the dome of Tropicana Field which has been torn open due to Hurricane ... More Milton in St. Petersburg, Florida, on October 10, 2024. At least four people were confirmed killed as a result of two tornadoes triggered by Hurricane Milton on the east coast of the US state of Florida, local authorities said Thursday. (Photo by Bryan R. SMITH / AFP) (Photo by BRYAN R. SMITH/AFP via Getty Images) HAARP Relatively speaking, the HAARP conspiracy theory might be feeling a little neglected these days. It's one that has been around for a while, but it has been in the shadows lately compared to the new batch out there. Like many of these conspiracy theories, HAARP is rooted in real science but has been distorted, conflated, and misrepresented. According to University of Alaska's website, 'The High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program, or HAARP, is a scientific endeavor aimed at studying the properties and behavior of the ionosphere.' That is region of the atmosphere about 50 to 400 miles above Earth's surface. The United States Air Force transition the research facility to the university in 2015, and it continues to be used for ionospheric research not weather manipulation. The Northern Lights appear in the sky in Svolvaer, Norway, on October 22, 2023. The Northern Lights ... More occur due to the interplay between the sun and Earth's magnetic field, which propels electrons through the atmosphere at rapid velocities. (Photo by Manuel Romano/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Climate Change Is A Hoax Much of what we are seeing with weather today can likely be associated with something that scientists have warned about for decades. Though weather certainly varies naturally, climate experts warned of an accelerated water cycle, intense rainstorms, sea level rise, mega-heatwaves, and changes to tropical cyclone intensities. While data continues to indicate that most people 'get it' about climate change, there is about 10% of the U.S. population that is dismissive. From that crowd, you typically here 'zombie theories like:' 2024 results from the 6 Americas Study. I wrote an article in 2017 addressing these and there are several good websites out there that debunk them and other common things that we hear. General circulation patterns. The Earth Is Flat While not technically a weather conspiracy theory, there are several aspects of weather, among other things, that disprove the notion that Earth is flat. We can start with imagery from weather satellites or spacecraft. Additionally, the vibrant colors of sunrises and sunsets is an exercise in physics but is a natural process that proves Earth is not flat. A view of Earth from the Space Shuttle Discovery shows late afternoon sun on the Andes Mountains, ... More with glare and heavy cloud illumination. The presence of a warm tropical regions and cold polar regions, respectively, is additional evidence. Earth's equatorial region receives more heat energy from the sun. Atmospheric circulation and ocean currents are, in part, explained by this polar-to-tropical temperature difference. Finally, weather radar beams and their ability to detect storms are affected by Earth's curvature. People cling to conspiracy theories for a multitude of reasons. This 2020 essay provides a deep dive into literacy deficiencies, fear, psychological reasoning, disproportionate weighting of information on the Internet, and other factors that perpetuate them. Radar beams and the curvature of the Earth.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Wildlife is not migrating out of Yellowstone National Park, NPS says
The National Park Service is clearing up any misconceptions on whether wildlife is migrating away from Yellowstone National Park. Videos have been spreading on social media platforms that appear to show a plethora of animals, such as herds of bison, elk, mountain lions and grizzly bears, are leaving the nation's oldest national park in large quantities. In one video posted to TikTok and Instagram, a group of grizzly bears appears to be walking along a road, leaving the reserve. Others show lines of bison and groups of elk doing the same. MORE: Another hole has formed at Yellowstone National Park, geologists say As a result, the topic has been trending on Google for the past week. However, the NPS believes the videos that are circulating on social media are AI-generated and "satirical in nature," Linda Veress, a spokesperson for the NPS, told ABC News. "Wildlife is not leaving Yellowstone National Park in large numbers," Veress said. "This rumor is false." While there are natural ebbs and flows of wildlife migration within Yellowstone, the majority of movement tends to happen in the winter, Bill Hamilton, a wildlife biologist at Washington and Lee University who has been researching the ecology at Yellowstone for 20 years, told ABC News. Yellowstone is home to hundreds of species of birds, fish and mammals, according to the NPS. It is the only national park in North America where there are no fences to contain the wildlife, and therefore, they are able to roam freely, Hamilton said. "They're free to come and go, and there's a migratory path for elk and bison and deer," Tom Murphy, a wildlife photographer who has been snapping images at Yellowstone for 50 years, told ABC News. MORE: Hidden magma cap discovered at Yellowstone National Park The animals leave the park in the winter to get better access to food that is likely covered in snow inside the park, Hamilton said. When the animals that eat plants and grasses leave, the predators follow, he added. The mountain lions follow the deer, and the wolves move with the elk. Wildlife rarely migrates during the summer, unless they are forced out by an extreme event, such as a large wildfire, Hamilton said. This year is a "normal year," with typical weather and moisture, Murphy said. But elk and bison may seek higher ground in search of cooler temperatures and fewer insects, Murphy said. "There's no reason for them to be leaving right now," Murphy said. Some of the social media users hypothesized that the supposed migrations were occurring due to a pending eruption at Yellowstone's supervolcano. The park's complex and extensive volcanic system is thoroughly monitored by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. The current alert level for volcanic activity at Yellowstone is "normal" or "Code Green," according to the USGS. "Geologically, it's going to erupt in the next 2 million years, but probably not today," Murphy said. MORE: Yellowstone visitors are getting so comfortable with approaching wildlife that park officials are asking them to stop While video of dozens of bison moving together has been recorded in the past, it is usually about 40 bison out of about 4,500 in the park, Hamilton said. In the winter, it's easier for the animals to walk on the road rather than snow-covered ground, Murphy said. "It was a very small percentage of the total herd size," Hamilton said. "Those things get observed, but it's not massive numbers of animals." It is immediately apparent that the video of the group of grizzly bears is fake because bears never get close together in that manner, Hamilton said. Grizzly bears don't congregate unless there's a "heavy, productive" food source around, such as a salmon stream in Alaska or a dead bison carcass at Yellowstone. The video of the mountain lions is also "nonsense," because mountain lions don't migrate, Murphy said. "They have a weekly round with a territory that they travel through, but you're not going to see them in a video of them running down the road," Murphy said. While the misinformation may just be a form of entertainment, it can become concerning if people start to believe it, Hamilton said. "It does undermine the overall perception of understanding how things work, how nature works," Hamilton said.
4 days ago
Wildlife is not migrating out of Yellowstone National Park, despite misinformation spreading on social media, NPS says
The National Park Service is clearing up any misconceptions on whether wildlife is migrating away from Yellowstone National Park. Videos have been spreading on social media platforms that appear to show a plethora of animals, such as herds of bison, elk, mountain lions and grizzly bears, are leaving the nation's oldest national park in large quantities. In one video posted to TikTok and Instagram, a group of grizzly bears appears to be walking along a road, leaving the reserve. Others show lines of bison and groups of elk doing the same. As a result, the topic has been trending on Google for the past week. However, the NPS believes the videos that are circulating on social media are AI-generated and "satirical in nature," Linda Veress, a spokesperson for the NPS, told ABC News. "Wildlife is not leaving Yellowstone National Park in large numbers," Veress said. "This rumor is false." While there are natural ebbs and flows of wildlife migration within Yellowstone, the majority of movement tends to happen in the winter, Bill Hamilton, a wildlife biologist at Washington and Lee University who has been researching the ecology at Yellowstone for 20 years, told ABC News. Yellowstone is home to hundreds of species of birds, fish and mammals, according to the NPS. It is the only national park in North America where there are no fences to contain the wildlife, and therefore, they are able to roam freely, Hamilton said. "They're free to come and go, and there's a migratory path for elk and bison and deer," Tom Murphy, a wildlife photographer who has been snapping images at Yellowstone for 50 years, told ABC News. The animals leave the park in the winter to get better access to food that is likely covered in snow inside the park, Hamilton said. When the animals that eat plants and grasses leave, the predators follow, he added. The mountain lions follow the deer, and the wolves move with the elk. Wildlife rarely migrates during the summer, unless they are forced out by an extreme event, such as a large wildfire, Hamilton said. This year is a "normal year," with typical weather and moisture, Murphy said. But elk and bison may seek higher ground in search of cooler temperatures and fewer insects, Murphy said. "There's no reason for them to be leaving right now," Murphy said. Some of the social media users hypothesized that the supposed migrations were occurring due to a pending eruption at Yellowstone's supervolcano. The park's complex and extensive volcanic system is thoroughly monitored by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. The current alert level for volcanic activity at Yellowstone is "normal" or "Code Green," according to the USGS. "Geologically, it's going to erupt in the next 2 million years, but probably not today," Murphy said. While video of dozens of bison moving together has been recorded in the past, it is usually about 40 bison out of about 4,500 in the park, Hamilton said. In the winter, it's easier for the animals to walk on the road rather than snow-covered ground, Murphy said. "It was a very small percentage of the total herd size," Hamilton said. "Those things get observed, but it's not massive numbers of animals." It is immediately apparent that the video of the group of grizzly bears is fake because bears never get close together in that manner, Hamilton said. Grizzly bears don't congregate unless there's a "heavy, productive" food source around, such as a salmon stream in Alaska or a dead bison carcass at Yellowstone. The video of the mountain lions is also "nonsense," because mountain lions don't migrate, Murphy said. "They have a weekly round with a territory that they travel through, but you're not going to see them in a video of them running down the road," Murphy said. While the misinformation may just be a form of entertainment, it can become concerning if people start to believe it, Hamilton said. "It does undermine the overall perception of understanding how things work, how nature works," Hamilton said.
