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Travel + Leisure
3 days ago
- Climate
- Travel + Leisure
The Tallest Sand Dunes in North America Have a Seasonal 'Beach' That Only Appears Once a Year—What to Know
Located in southern Colorado's San Luis Valley, Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve is home to North America's tallest sand dunes. These dunes, which rise abruptly from the shadow of Colorado's Sangre de Cristo Mountains, are formed by the interplay of winds funneling through mountain passes and the ongoing recycling of sand via wind. While the star attractions, Hidden Dune and Star Dune, tower approximately 750 feet above the valley floor, one of the park's extraordinary features is Medano Creek, a seasonal stream that emerges in spring and early summer. Fed by snowmelt, Medano Creek—called Colorado's Natural beach—flows at the dunes' base, creating a shallow, inland beach-like playground where visitors can splash, float on tubes, and build sandcastles. The flow typically begins in late April and peaks by early June, with water depths reaching ankle to calf level—often around 20 inches—before drying out during mid-summer. Visitors flock to the dunes when the creek is in bloom as well as for exhilarating activities such as sandboarding, sledding, and dune hiking. It's worth noting that, on warm days, sand surface temps can soar to 150 degrees, so hiking shoes or socks are a must. The best time to visit the park is in spring and early summer, when daytime temperatures are mild and Medano Creek flows with cool, refreshing water. Since the park is designated an International Dark Sky Park, the dunes also offer remarkably clear night skies for stargazing. Before planning your visit, be sure to check the real-time flow of Medano Creek, available from spring through fall, via an online graph that tracks the creek's volume in cubic feet per second (cfs). While the data is collected about five miles upstream from the main Dunes Parking Area, it offers a useful snapshot of current conditions and whether water levels are rising or falling. This year, flow levels aren't expected to top 20 cfs, which is a reminder to plan your visit accordingly. The park is well-equipped for visitors, with dune-rover wheelchairs, convenient dune showers, and the Piñon Flats Campground. Families can participate in a variety of programs, including the National Park Service's Junior Ranger program and Family Archaeology Days. For a unique place to stay near the dunes, consider Dunes Desert Camp. This eco-luxury glamping site has just two spacious safari tents, offering a private and immersive experience in nature. Guests can opt for customizable meals and activities through the camp's Dune Experiences program. For a more traditional stay, Great Sand Dunes Lodge provides a variety of standard room types, as well as campers and geodesic domes.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
See the moon cross the Pleiades for the last time this year on July 20
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. If you live anywhere in the contiguous U.S. or Canada, and clear skies are forecast for early Sunday morning, July 20, then be sure to step outside after midnight and before the first light of dawn. Look low in the east-northeast sky for a slender crescent moon just four days before new phase and 23% illuminated, gracefully approaching the Pleiades star cluster. This will mark the third and final lunar occultation of the Pleiades in 2025, promising a very beautiful scene in steadily held binoculars or a small telescope. Earlier this year, there were two other moon-Pleiades encounters. On the evening of January 9th, an 82%waxing gibbous moon temporarily hid the Pleiades for parts of the U.S., Canada and Central America and then during the overnight hours of February 5-6, a 61% waxing gibbous moon passed in front of the cluster. If you caught one, or both of the first two events (or if you didn't), make a note on your calendar to watch this final moon-Pleiades rendezvous of the year. In this upcoming case, you will either have to stay up through the night (to await moonrise, which will occur around 1:00 a.m. local daylight time) or set your alarm for the predawn morning hours. In addition, since the moon will be a lovely waning crescent, as opposed to a waxing gibbous in January and February, stars will disappear first along the bright lunar crescent. You'll need at least a small telescope, for binoculars probably won't be enough for following stars in the final minutes or seconds as the moon's glare, sunlit edge creeps up to them. But practically any telescope will magnify enough to do the trick. Use 50x magnification, perhaps more if your scope has a solid mount that allows easy tracking. Stars will reappear about an hour later from behind the moon's dark limb in dramatic fashion: appearing to suddenly "pop-on" as if someone threw a switch. Here, binoculars should do fine, especially if you mount them on a tripod, provided you're watching at exactly the right moment. In Canada's Maritime Provinces and the northeastern U.S., advancing morning twilight will be an issue, since the eastern sky will be brightening as the moon approaches the Pleiades. As a result, the disappearance of some stars will not be visible because the sky will be too bright. Nonetheless, the view in binoculars of the crescent moon sitting to the upper right of the star cluster will still make for a very pretty sight. Farther west, the sky will be darker, but the moon and the Pleiades will be lower. This will be especially true for the far-western states and the Canadian province of British Columbia; therefore, a clear and unobstructed view toward the east-northeast is recommended. Below are two timetables giving local circumstances for the disappearance and reappearance of the four brightest members of the Pleiades that will be occulted. The information is based in part on data generated by the International Occultation Timers Association (IOTA) and is valid for fourteen U.S., two Canadian and one Mexican city. Keep in mind, however, that many other stars not listed here will also be occulted. If the disappearance or reappearance of a star takes place during dawn twilight, the time is provided in italic font. Also, take note that if the disappearance or reappearance of a star occurs near or soon after the start of civil twilight (roughly 40 minutes before sunrise), it is assumed that the sky would probably be too bright to easily see it. In addition, the moon might miss the star entirely. In both such cases, the time is omitted. All times are in local civil time. Location Electra Alcyone Atlas Maia Los Angeles —— 2:21 a.m. —— —— Seattle 2:03 am. 2:39 a.m. 3:16 a.m. —— Tucson —— 2:18 a.m. —— 2:07 a.m. Denver 2:35 a.m. 3:27 a.m. —— —— Helena 2:52 a.m. 3:36 a.m. 4:19 a.m. —— Monterrey 2:13 a.m. 3:28 a.m. —— 2:44 a.m. Austin 3:17 a.m. 4:26 a.m. —— 3:51 a.m. Kansas City 3:30 a.m. 4:31 a.m. —— 4:10 a.m. Winnipeg 3:50 a.m. 4:43 a.m. —— —- N. Orleans 3:16 a.m. —— —— 3:48 a.m. Chicago 3:33 a.m. 4:41 a.m. —— 4:12 a.m. Atlanta 4:21 a.m. —— —— 4:54 a.m. Miami 4:15 a.m. —— —— 4:42 a.m. Washington 4:30 a.m. —— —— 5:05 a.m. New York 4:35 a.m. —— —— —— Boston 4:39 a.m. —— —— —— Montreal 4:42 a.m. —— —— —— Location Electra Alcyone Atlas Maia Los Angeles 2:15 a.m. 3:10 a.m. —— —— Seattle 2:22 a.m. 3:31 a.m. 4:01 a.m. —— Tucson 2:13 a.m. 3:04 a.m. —— 2:27 a.m. Denver 3:21 a.m. 4:19 a.m. —— —— Helena 3:26 a.m. 4:31 a.m. 4:56 a.m. —— Monterrey 3:05 a.m. 3:35 a.m. —— 3:33 a.m. Austin 4:11 a.m. 4:51 a.m. —— 4:38 a.m. Kansas City 4:24 a.m. 5:16 a.m. —— 4:46 a.m. Winnipeg 4:37 a.m. —— —— —— N. Orleans 4:11 a.m. —— —— 4:43 a.m. Chicago 4:31 a.m. —— —— 4:57 a.m. Atlanta 5:18 a.m. —— —— 5:52 a.m. Miami 5:03 a.m. —— —— 5:44 a.m. Washington —- —— —— —— New York —— —— —— —— Boston —— —— —— —— Montreal —— —— —— —— Specific times and zones of visibility Courtesy of IOTA, detailed prediction pages are available for each of the four brightest stars — Alcyone, Atlas, Electra, and Maia. These include Universal Time (UT) disappearance and reappearance data, as well as Mercator maps showing where each occultation will be visible. For example, from St. Louis, Missouri (in Central Daylight Time, UTC–5), Maia will disappear at 4:06 a.m. CDT and reappear at 4:51 a.m. CDT. At the moment of reappearance, the sun will be about 11 degrees below the horizon, meaning Maia should reappear in a twilight sky. TOP TELESCOPE PICK Want to see the moon and Pleiades together? The Celestron NexStar 8SE is ideal for beginners wanting quality, reliable and quick views of celestial objects. For a more in-depth look at our Celestron NexStar 8SE review. In addition to the timetable, a world map (Mercator projection) is provided, showing the region where the occultation will be visible. The boundaries are in different colors. The Cyan boundaries show the curves of the occultation disappearance or reappearance at moonrise or moonset. A continuous white line marks the nighttime northern and southern limits of the occultation. A continuous blue line denotes the occultation limits occurring during twilight, while a dotted red line depicts the occultation limits occurring in daylight. For Alcyone, the occultation takes place over much of the western U.S. For Atlas, visibility occurs over the northwest U.S., western Canada and Alaska. For Electra, visibility will be over much of the U.S. and Canada, while the occultation of Maia will be visible primarily over the central and southern U.S. and Mexico. Joe Rao serves as an instructor and guest lecturer at New York's Hayden Planetarium. He writes about astronomy for Natural History magazine, Sky and Telescope and other publications.
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Summer meteor showers: See Perseids, 2 others in Ohio starting this week
If it feels like it's been a while since you've been able to watch a stunning meteor shower light up the night sky, you're in luck. Following a nearly two-month "shooting stars" drought, three meteor showers are set to become active concurrently in July. The celestial activity will then hit a crescendo in August with the peak of what is widely considered the best meteor shower of the year: the Perseids. Here's everything to know about the summer's upcoming meteor showers, headlined by the spectacular Perseids, and how you can see them in Ohio. Stargazers' delight: When and where to view July's major meteor showers. Perseid meteor shower underway: Where, when to look up With its whizzing meteors and blazing fireballs, the Perseid meteor shower reliably puts on a spectacle every year for stargazers around the world. Spectators who step outside at just the right time could be treated to up to 100 Perseid meteors per hour streaking across the night sky, leaving long wakes of light and color behind them. In 2025, the Perseid meteor shower is expected to become active Thursday, July 17, and remain so until Aug. 23, according to the American Meteor Society. The Perseids are best viewed in the Northern Hemisphere. Once the sun sets and the moon is below the horizon, spectators should only have to contend with local light pollution and clouds that could interfere with the number of meteors they can see. Like all meteor showers, the Perseids are best viewed during the dark hours between midnight and dawn. However, it is possible under the right conditions to view Perseid meteors as early as 10 p.m. ET, according to NASA. But perhaps the best part of the Perseids? Because they peak in summer, spectators don't have to contend with cold weather like they do when other famous meteor showers, such as the Leonids and Geminids, hit their peak activity. When is the next meteor shower? 2 to peak at same time What's more, the Perseids aren't the only meteor shower lighting up the night sky this summer. Both the Southern delta Aquarids and the alpha Capricornids are due to peak at the same time between July 29 and July 30, according to the American Meteor Society. The Capricornids began their activity July 12 and will be followed by the Southern delta Aquarids (also spelled "Aquariids") Friday, July 18. Both meteor showers will remain active until Aug. 12. Unfortunately, neither shower is famed for being very strong. The Southern Delta Aquarids are faint meteors that are difficult enough to spot as it is. But if the moon is visible at all, it will be nearly impossible, according to NASA. These are the best places to view meteor showers in Ohio So where are the best places to go in Ohio to see the meteor showers? The International Dark Sky Places (IDSP) program, an internationally recognized organization that certifies communities, parks and protected areas around the world that preserve dark skies, has two suggestions. The IDSP-designated dark sky places in Ohio are: Geauga Observatory Park: Located in Montville Township in Geauga County, this park was selected as a dark sky park in 2011, the Columbus Dispatch reports. The park is centered around the Nassau Observatory, which moved from Cleveland to Geauga County in 1957 due to light pollution. It fell out of routine use in the 1990s. Fry Family Park: Located in Magnolia, about 10 miles south of Canton, the park also earned the distinction of being an IDSP-certified urban dark sky area, which means stargazers still get a good view of the night sky despite its proximity to a city. Other dark sky destinations around Ohio, according to Ohio Magazine, include: Burr Oak State Park: The nearest village is four miles away and has a population of less than 2,000, so it produces little light pollution. Stonelick State Park: The night skies here are some of the darkest in Ohio, according to the magazine, and it's a common destination for Cincinnati-area stargazers. Wayne National Forest: Per the magazine, the isolated Lamping Homestead Recreation Area is arguably the darkest site in Ohio's only national forest. Perseid meteor shower 2025: Here's when activity peaks This year, the Perseids are expected to peak Aug. 12-13. Though the Geminids in December are considered to be one of the strongest and most consistent meteor showers, the Perseids still result in anywhere from 50 to 100 meteors visible per hour under the right conditions. What's more, the Perseid meteor shower gained its reputation for the plentiful whizzing meteors and blazing fireballs it reliably produces each year pretty much around the globe. These large explosions of light and color can persist even longer than an average meteor streak, NASA says. Could the moon interfere with Perseids? Tips for seeing streaking meteors Unfortunately, the Perseid meteor shower is peaking three days after a full moon in 2025. For that reason, a bright waning gibbous moon could outshine the fainter of the streaking meteors and make them more difficult to spot. But for those determined to catch a few of them, NASA has these viewing tips to increase your odds: Find an area distant from city light pollution or street lights. Bring a sleeping bag, blanket, or lawn chair. Lie flat on your back and look up, taking in as much of the sky as possible. After about 30 minutes in the dark, your eyes will adapt and you will begin to see meteors. The website TimeandDate also provides detailed information about where and when to see the phenomenon. What causes the Perseids? Are meteor showers 'shooting stars?' Originating from the constellation Perseus, the Perseids are made up of leftover particles from comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. Every year, Earth passes through the comet's debris trail, resulting in the Perseid meteor shower when the broken bits of Swift-Tuttle disintegrate in our atmosphere at high speed, creating fiery and colorful streaks in the sky known colloquially as "shooting stars," according to NASA. Swift-Tuttle, which takes 133 Earth years to orbit the sun just once, was discovered to be the source of the Perseids in 1865 by Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli. Discovered in 1862, Swift-Tuttle is gargantuan — twice the size of the asteroid theorized to have wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. When was the last meteor shower? Eta Aquarids ended in May The string of summer meteor showers are the first in nearly two months since the Eta Aquarids came to an end May 28. The Aquarids, which first became active April 19, peaked between May 5 and May 6 as Earth passed through the densest part of the cosmic debris from the famous Halley's Comet. Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Perseid meteor showers are amazing, and they're coming to our area Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Summer meteor showers are underway. When to see Perseids, more in Missouri
If it feels like it's been a while since you've been able to watch a stunning meteor shower light up the night sky, you're in luck. Following nearly a two-month "shooting stars" drought, three meteor showers are set to become active concurrently in July. The celestial activity will then hit a crescendo in August with the peak of what is widely considered the best meteor shower of the year: the Perseids. With its whizzing meteors and blazing fireballs, the Perseid meteor shower reliably puts on a spectacle every year for stargazers around the world. Spectators who step outside at just the right time could be treated to up to 100 Perseid meteors per hour streaking across the night sky, leaving long wakes of light and color behind them. But what's the best part of the Perseids? Because they peak in summer, spectators don't have to contend with cold weather like they do when other famous meteor showers such as the Leonids and Geminids hit their peak activity. Here's everything Missouri stargazers should know about the summer's meteor showers, headlined by the spectacular Perseids. When, where to see the Perseid meteor shower in 2025 In 2025, the Perseid meteor shower is expected to become active Thursday, July 17, and remain so until Aug. 23, according to the American Meteor Society. The Perseids are best viewed in the Northern Hemisphere. Once the sun sets and the moon is below the horizon, spectators should only have to contend with local light pollution and clouds that could interfere with the number of meteors they can see. Like all meteor showers, the Perseids are best viewed during the dark hours between midnight and dawn. However, it is possible under the right conditions to view Perseid meteors as early as 9 p.m. Central time, according to NASA. These 2 meteor showers are set to peak at same time What's more, the Perseids aren't the only meteor shower lighting up the night sky this summer. Both the Southern delta Aquarids and the alpha Capricornids are due to peak at the same time between July 29 and July 30, according to the American Meteor Society. The Capricornids began their activity July 12 and will be followed by the Southern delta Aquarids (also spelled "Aquariids") Friday, July 18. Both meteor showers will remain active until Aug. 12. Unfortunately, neither shower is famed for being very strong. The Southern Delta Aquarids are faint meteors that are difficult enough to spot as it is. But if the moon is visible at all, it will be near impossible, according to NASA. Perseid meteor shower 2025: When activity peaks This year, the Perseids are expected to peak the night of Aug. 12-13. Though the Geminids in December are considered to be one of the strongest and most consistent meteor showers, the Perseids still result in anywhere from 50 to 100 meteors visible per hour under the right conditions. What's more, the Perseid meteor shower gained its reputation for the plentiful whizzing meteors and blazing fireballs it reliably produces each year pretty much around the globe. These large explosions of light and color can persist even longer than an average meteor streak, NASA says. Could the moon interfere with Perseids? Tips for seeing meteor shower Unfortunately, the Perseid meteor shower is peaking three days after a full moon in 2025. For that reason, a bright waning gibbous moon could outshine the fainter of the streaking meteors and make them more difficult to spot. But for those determined to catch a few of them, NASA has these viewing tips to increase your odds: Find an area distant from city light pollution or street lights. Bring a sleeping bag, blanket, or lawn chair. Lie flat on your back and look up, taking in as much of the sky as possible. After about 30 minutes in the dark, your eyes will adapt and you will begin to see meteors. The website TimeandDate also provides detailed information about where and when to see the phenomenon. What causes the Perseid meteor shower? Originating from the constellation Perseus, the Perseids are made up of leftover particles from comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. Every year, Earth passes through the comet's debris trail, resulting in the Perseid meteor shower when the broken bits of Swift-Tuttle disintegrates in our atmosphere at high speed – creating fiery and colorful streaks in the sky known colloquially as "shooting stars," according to NASA. Swift-Tuttle, which takes 133 Earth years just to orbit the sun a single time, was discovered to be the source of the Perseids in 1865 by Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli. Discovered in 1862, Swift-Tuttle is absolutely gargantuan – twice the size of the asteroid theorized to have wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Perseid meteor shower 2025: How to watch activity peak in Missouri Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Don't miss the moon pass close to Saturn and Neptune on July 15
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Heads up stargazers! The moon will rise close to Saturn and the ice giant Neptune in the eastern sky on the night of July 15, close enough to be seen together in a pair of binoculars! Saturn will rise above the eastern horizon beneath the stars of the constellation Pisces shortly before midnight for viewers in the U.S. on July 15, with the waning gibbous moon shining roughly three degrees to its upper right. For context, the width of your little finger held at arms length against the night sky accounts for roughly 1 degree. The planet Neptune can also be found lurking approximately 1 degree to the upper left of Saturn around this time, though its dim brightness, or magnitude of +7.8, will make it impossible to see with the naked eye. Remember: magnitude is the scale used by astronomers to measure the apparent brightness of night sky objects. The lower the number, the brighter a planet or star will appear in the night sky. The human eye is capable of picking out objects with a brightness of +6.5 or greater from a dark sky location. All three celestial targets will fit nicely within the field of view of a pair of 10x50 binoculars, though Neptune will appear as nothing more than a dim point of blueish light —if it's visible at all against the glare of the waning moon — so don't expect much too much from the ice giant. Gazing through a telescope with a 6-inch aperture will help reveal the rings around Saturn, while an 8-inch scope may allow you to spot variations in color on the gas giant's cloud surface. A range of exciting observing targets will also be visible on the 75%-lit moon on July 15, including the long, thin form of Mare Frigolis — a vast basalt plain visible as a dark scar running across the northern extreme of the lunar surface. The celestial trio will remain close to each other throughout the night, with Saturn and Neptune eventually fading from sight in the southern sky when the sun rises on July 16. Stargazers looking to get a closer look at the myriad worlds of our solar system should check out our guides to the best telescopes and binoculars for exploring the night sky. We also have a handy roundup of the best cameras and lenses for astrophotography for those looking to immortalize their skywatching sessions.
