For the architects of Johnson Walzer Associates in Flagstaff, the dark skies are a major consideration in every project they take on. Projects range from the Flagstaff Aquaplex to the Taylor House to the law enforcement complex on Sawmill Road and many facilities at Lowell Observatory, including the Kemper and Ethel Marley Foundation Astronomy Discovery Center, currently under construction. “We’ve been in business in Flagstaff since the mid-‘80s and have been working with the dark skies … [Read more...] about JWA Architects Protecting Star-Filled Skies for Decades
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Lowell Observatory Breaks Ground for World Destination
Lowell Observatory’s vision for its education program is bold and simple: to be the premier public astronomy destination in the world. The observatory took a critical step toward achieving that goal on Saturday, June 26, by breaking ground on a 40,000-square-foot, $37.5-million discovery center. The Kemper and Ethel Marley Foundation Astronomy Discovery Center (ADC) will be six times the size of Lowell’s current visitor facility and will accommodate greatly increased annual attendance to … [Read more...] about Lowell Observatory Breaks Ground for World Destination
Neighborhood Sets Example for Soft, Focused Light and Dark Starry Skies
Avid hiker Andrea Michaels has long enjoyed watching the Perseids meteor showers from the banks of Laurel Lake, a duck pond on the edge of Walnut Canyon Village in east Flagstaff. However, her view is even better now, she says, because community members have largely changed their outdoor light fixtures to meet dark-sky standards. “If you’re a camper or a backpacker, one of the greatest thrills when you’re out is looking into the endless depths of the universe,” she said. “It was frustrating … [Read more...] about Neighborhood Sets Example for Soft, Focused Light and Dark Starry Skies
Lowell Observatory Presents May 26 Lunar Eclipse Live Stream
One of the most dramatic and easily viewed celestial events—a total lunar eclipse—occurs on May 26. This will be the first one since January 2019. While it will be visible only from western North America, western South America, eastern Asia, and Australia, Lowell Observatory will make it available to everyone around the world with the 2021 Lunar Eclipse Live Stream. This free event runs from 2:30 a.m. – 4:25 a.m. PDT on May 26th. Lowell educators will share live views of the … [Read more...] about Lowell Observatory Presents May 26 Lunar Eclipse Live Stream
Regional Residents Discuss Protecting Dark Skies
The value of the dark skies resource and what can be done to make sure the region’s exceptional dark skies aren’t diluted by light pollution were topics addressed by local leaders and national dark sky experts in two visioning sessions hosted by the Flagstaff Dark Skies Coalition (FDSC) via Zoom and facilitated by Arizona Town Hall President and CEO Tara Jackson and volunteer Chair-elect Evelyn Casuga. Retired U.S. Naval Observatory astronomer and Coalition member Chris Luginbuhl noted the … [Read more...] about Regional Residents Discuss Protecting Dark Skies
Lowell Observatory Presents 2NDAnnual I Heart Pluto Festival
Lowell Observatory is pleased to present a celebration 91 years in the making: the 2nd Annual I Heart Pluto Festival. Retired NASA astronauts Nicole Stott and Ron Garan and New Horizons scientists Dr. Alan Stern and Dr. Will Grundy headline the event. This free, all-virtual celebration runs from February 13-18 and features a variety of talks, tours, an art show, and a ham radio event. The festival falls on the anniversary of Clyde Tombaugh’s February 18, 1930 discovery of Pluto at Lowell … [Read more...] about Lowell Observatory Presents 2NDAnnual I Heart Pluto Festival
Lowell Observatory Presents Great Conjunction Virtual Event
Jupiter and Saturn will appear closer to each other on December 21 than they have in nearly 400 years, and Lowell Observatory will be covering this great conjunction with a free interactive livestream program. Beginning at 5 p.m. MST/7 p.m. EST on the 21st, Lowell astronomers and educators will share spectacular live views of Jupiter and Saturn through observatory telescopes while discussing the nature of conjunctions. The winter solstice also happens on the 21st and the Lowell … [Read more...] about Lowell Observatory Presents Great Conjunction Virtual Event
Lowell Scientists Help Characterize a Second Known Minimoon
Astronomers using data collected with the Lowell Discovery Telescope (LDT) have helped to characterize only the second known minimoon of Earth, a newly discovered asteroid with the designation 2020 CD3, or CD3 for short. The LDT observations helped to clarify both the rotation rate and the orbit of this diminutive body, the latter of which helped prove that CD3 is a natural body and not some relic piece of human-made space junk. Minimoons are small asteroids temporarily captured … [Read more...] about Lowell Scientists Help Characterize a Second Known Minimoon
Lowell Observatory: Illuminating Ideas About the Dark
Jeff Hall stepped outside around 9:30 p.m., after attending a talk in Los Angeles a few years ago. As one would expect of an astronomer and the director of Lowell Observatory, his eyes went to the heavens. “The faintest thing I could see were the three bright stars in Orion’s Belt. You could maybe see 50 or 100 stars in the sky. If you are living in L.A., you don’t have a prayer to see the Milky Way.” Hall wonders how generations growing up in large cities will be impacted without a … [Read more...] about Lowell Observatory: Illuminating Ideas About the Dark
Lowell Observatory Commences a Science-Based COVID-19 Reopening Plan in Alignment with CDC Guidelines
Employing a cautious and scientifically rigorous approach, Lowell Observatory is implementing a COVID-19 reopening plan that is aligned to the gating criteria established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The phased reopening plan’s alignment with CDC guidelines places staff, guest, and community safety first and may serve as a model for other cultural organizations and science centers. “As a Flagstaff community leader who makes space exploration and education … [Read more...] about Lowell Observatory Commences a Science-Based COVID-19 Reopening Plan in Alignment with CDC Guidelines