Latest news with #DarkSkyFestival
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Amateur astrophotographer captures gorgeous view of Bode's galaxy from Death Valley
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Astrophotographer Joel Martin captured a magnificent view of Bode's Galaxy in February 2025 during the annual Dark Sky Festival held in California's Death Valley National Park. The frames used to create Martin's galactic portrait were captured on the night of Feb. 21 using a 150mm f/4 Newtonian telescope connected to a ASI533 astrophotography camera capable of taking full color images in a single exposure without the need for filters. Bode's Galaxy has an apparent magnitude of +6.94, making it one of the brightest galaxies visible in the Northern Hemisphere. Martin was able to bring out exquisite detail in the grand spiral galaxy by executing a set of 18 separate 300 second exposures, which were then stacked and post-processed using PixInsight astrophotography software. TOP TELESCOPE PICK: Want to see galaxies in the night sky? The Celestron NexStar 4SE is ideal for beginners wanting quality, reliable and quick views of celestial objects. For a more in-depth look at our Celestron NexStar 4SE review. The end result is a stunning view of M81 that highlights active star forming regions embedded in the galaxy's spiral arms, the light from which has travelled for 11.6 million light-years before rushing headlong into Martin's telescope. The prominent core of Bode's Galaxy also shines brightly with the light of older, redder stars in this shot, which orbit a monstrous supermassive black hole that is estimated to have a mass the equivalent to 15 times that of the Milky Way's Sagittarius A*. April just so happens to be the best month to view Bode's Galaxy, so why not head out and try to spot it for yourself? You can track down M81 by locating the Big Dipper asterism in the constellation Ursa Major - which is high overhead this time of year in the Northern Hemisphere - and engaging in a little star hopping. First off, locate the bright star Phecda, and draw an imaginary diagonal line from this star through Dubhe, which is located on the 'pouring tip' of the Big Dipper's bowl. Continue this line outwards for the same distance that it took to cross the bowl, and you will find the patch of sky containing Bode's Galaxy. Remember, M81 is invisible to the naked eye. However, as explained by NASA it can be seen through a good pair of binoculars as a smudge of light, with the smaller cigar-shaped galaxy M82 also in frame, but a small telescope is needed to resolve the bright galactic core and elegant, sweeping spiral arms. If you want to try and find Bode's Galaxy for yourself then why not avail yourself of our guides detailing the best binoculars deals and best telescope deals available this year. Our guides on the best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography can also help you prepare to capture the next skywatching sight.
Los Angeles Times
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
What park workers firings mean for L.A.'s natural wonders
I felt conflicted as my friend Taran and I pulled into Death Valley National Park this past Friday evening. I was over the moon to attend the park's annual Dark Sky Festival. I'd booked a campground months in advance so I could gaze at the stars in the desert. But I knew this was a challenging moment for the parks staff. Just a week before our arrival, the Trump administration fired about 1,000 permanent National Park Service workers as part of a mass purging of tens of thousands of federal workers still in the probationary period of their jobs. When we pulled into the Furnace Creek campground, we were greeted with a sign on the ticket booth window. 'Death Valley has been impacted by the removal of dedicated employees who were let go without cause or notice,' it read. 'Please bear with us during this transition.' The sentiment was familiar. This past week, I spoke with experts who told me that our parks are currently facing a triple threat that will harm them in the short and long term: a months-long delay in hiring seasonal workers after the Trump administration rescinded their jobs and then, following a public outcry, gave them back, the firing of permanent workers and potential budget cuts to the National Park Service and its contractors. One of my first questions amid these cuts was: How will this affect the two natural wonders that are practically in L.A.'s backyard? That is, Channel Islands National Park and Santa Monica Mountains National Park. The experts I spoke to painted a dire picture. Shortly after President Trump was inaugurated, his administration froze and unfroze trillions of dollars, a 'terrifying' move that affected all of the federal money that the Santa Monica Mountains Fund, a nonprofit and official partner of its namesake national park, receives, said Executive Director Deanna Armbruster. The organization's budget is only $3 million and relies heavily on federal grants. Although the Trump administration did not follow through with the funding freeze, it took several days for the money to return to the system where the Santa Monica Mountains Fund withdraws it. None of the money that came from the Biden-era Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was returned, Armbruster said. 'Those funds specifically for us are for wildfire recovery work,' Armbruster said. The Palisades fire had just burned through the Santa Monica Mountains, and Armbruster spent days worried she'd have to lay off the workers whose jobs it would be to restore the charred landscape. Fifteen people were at risk of losing their jobs, including those who yank invasive plants like mustard and castor bean from the hillsides, weeds that make wildfires worse. Other staffers whose jobs were threatened run the organization's farms, where they collect native seed for restoration purposes. 'We had invested a year's worth of work into building this farm, and I was out there yesterday looking at it thinking that all of this work is going to go away, and the plants are going to die because we're not going to have the crew to be able to come out and care for them,' Armbruster said. The organization also wouldn't be able to host volunteer planting events without those staffers, who oversee and train helpers. That effort is crucial to scaling the Santa Monica Mountains Fund's local impact on improving wildfire resistance. The day I spoke to Armbruster, she'd just learned the money from the Biden-era law had finally been unfrozen. She'd planned to talk to me at 2 p.m. and then lay off 15 people at 3. She was shaking and relieved she no longer had to do that. Still, Armbruster said she doesn't know how her organization will survive without continued federal money. The group employs 58 people and usually hires dozens of seasonal workers in the summer. If the Trump administration eliminates its federal funding and no other funder steps up to help, 'it's literally the difference between preserving and protecting our mountains, or not,' she said. 'A lot of times we forget that if we don't provide a habitat, the animals that live there are going to suffer, and there's not going to be a place for them to relocate. We're going to lose the habitat, and then we're going to lose the animal populations.' Armbruster and her team used to work alongside the eight staffers who were fired from Santa Monica Mountains National Park, which included workers focused on archaeology, wildlife research (including mountain lion studies), special park use (like getting permits for filming or wedding rentals) and emergency medical response. Issues from these firings are and will continue to be felt systemwide, said Cassidy Jones, senior visitation program manager at the National Parks Conservation Assn. Fired workers included administrative workers who perform background checks for seasonal workers, maintenance staff who kept water treatment systems running; staffers who reopen restrooms and shovel snow and clear rocks off trails; engineers who address how to fix serious damage like landslides and interpretive staff who educate visitors daily about a park's culture, wildlife and plants, Jones said. And not everyone who was fired was a new employee. Some permanent workers who lost their jobs had been with the park service for decades but had recently moved to a new position, Jones said. All of these fired workers lost their health insurance. Some of them even lost their housing. The firings affected workers in many departments, meaning the impact and delays will be wide-reaching, Jones said. Teachers will notice it's nearly impossible to schedule field trips. Hikers will notice permits that are normally available through a lottery aren't posted yet on the government's online reservation system. And visitors wanting to book cave tours or camp will notice delays in those opportunities coming online. In light of the firings, it remains unclear whether parks such as Yosemite National Park will implement a reservation system, which in recent years has helped with crowd control. Jones said that means parks could be crowded this summer, and it's crucial that visitors to national parks understand just how hard the remaining staff is working. 'You've got to pack your patience and be kind to other visitors,' Jones, a former ranger, said. 'There's not very many [workers], and they're doing their very best.' Kenan Chan, a marine scientist, was a permanent worker at Channel Islands National Park. He worries that Trump's confusing orders related to seasonal and permanent park staff will muddle the public's ability to understand and react to it. He's particularly concerned that people won't fully grasp why the loss of permanent staff remains significant. Chan started working at the Channel Islands about 10 years ago, including as a seasonal worker for four seasons. He started his full-time position in October and was in his probationary period. His job was to collect data from the islands' tide pools and kelp forests to document the health, well-being and changes of the islands' landscape. Both projects were launched by the park service in 1982. Over the last four decades, park researchers have documented widespread and dramatic changes to the park's marine ecosystem, Chan told me, including declines in abalone and loss of kelp beds around several of the islands. In his time there, Chan has conducted about 500 dives and spent 30,000 minutes underwater at the islands. The data he gathers during those dives — which includes counting giant kelp and fish — provides essential information for the rest of the scientific community, who can use it to determine whether they should perform restoration work or raise awareness about species in decline. Without Chan, there are only two full-time employees left, one to monitor the park's five islands' tide pools and another to monitor its kelp forests. Usually, about five seasonal workers will help collect data for about six months. Seasonal workers serve a role similar to substitute teachers, who are critical for the education system to function but might not have the expertise yet to teach full time, Chan said. An added insult, the six workers laid off from Channel Islands weren't given the necessary paperwork to file for unemployment, and their termination letters state that they 'failed to demonstrate fitness or qualifications for continued employment because of your subject matter knowledge, skills, and abilities.' It could make being rehired a challenge. Chan refused to sign it. As other park workers have communicated in their Instagram posts, Chan had stellar performance, he said. Chan said he and his colleagues take an oath to serve their country and never wanted to bring politics into their jobs. 'These lands were created for everybody,' Chan said. 'Cutting these jobs to these federal lands and other federal entities hurts everybody. If you enjoy your national parks, if you enjoy your national forests or public lands, this has an impact on you. It's not a Democrat thing. It's not a Republican thing. It's an everybody thing.' The experts I spoke with hope that people will keep contacting their lawmakers to make their support for public lands known. The National Park Service's budget is 1/15th of 1% of the federal budget. Still, they fear the firings of National Park Service workers is only the beginning. 1. Walk and bike for a good cause in Culver CityWalk 'n Rollers will host its annual Walk More Bike More Festival from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday at Ivy Station in Culver City. The event raises money for Walk 'n Rollers' adopt-a-bike program, which has refurbished and donated more than 350 bikes to families in need. This year, bikes will be primarily donated to families affected by recent wildfires. At the festival, guests can participate in free bike repairs, a scavenger hunt and a prize raffle. There will also be e-bike and skateboard demos. The event is free, but registration is requested, with the option to donate. Register at 2. Maintain trails at the Baldwin Hills Scenic OverlookThe Parks Project will host its quarterly trail maintenance day from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook Park (6300 Hetzler Road in Culver City). Volunteers will repair trails, reinforce berms, improve switchbacks and trim vegetation. Drinks and snacks will be provided. Register at 3. Build bikes in Mar Vista to help Eaton fire survivorsBikerowave Co-op needs volunteers with bike wrenching experience to prep bikes that will be donated to people affected by the Eaton fire. The repair event will be from 2 to 8 p.m. Friday at its shop (12255 Venice Blvd.). The shop has several bikes to repair but welcomes donations. All bikes will be checked by a head mechanic before they're distributed. Learn more at the shop's Instagram page. Once while walking my dog in our neighborhood in Koreatown, I spotted a man with a telescope set up outside his small garage. 'Can you actually see anything?' I yelled over. He enthusiastically replied, 'Yes!' Los Angeles actually has a longtime stargazer club, the Los Angeles Astronomical Society. Founded in 1926, the group still meets regularly. Times staff writer Karla Marie Sanford attended the group's February meeting and found a welcoming eclectic community. Even through L.A.'s notorious light pollution, guests spotted Jupiter and its moons, Mars, and constellations such as Orion. 'It's a good reminder that there's things bigger than us,' said attendee Emily Guarin, 26. 'I was staring at the lines of Jupiter, and it's like I am here and Jupiter is there, and it doesn't even know I'm looking at it.' Tonight is a new moon, which means it's a fine time to go outside and look up! Happy adventuring, This week, the Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District awarded $17 million to nonprofits, cities and county departments to buy land for parks. The money will be used to buy an estimated 623 acres of new parkland. Baldwin Park will use its $2-million award to buy a half-acre on Puente Avenue and create a pocket park. Other organizations will use the money to repair land damaged by recent wildfires. We needed some good park news, folks! For more insider tips on Southern California's beaches, trails and parks, check out past editions of The Wild. And to view this newsletter in your browser, click here.
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
York St John University to host free-to-attend The Dark Matters event
York St John University is set to host an event to explore how the city can become more dark sky friendly, and combat the issue of light pollution. The free event, called The Dark Matters, will take place at the university's Creative Centre on Tuesday, March 4. It will bring together dark sky experts, academics, and artists for an evening of discussion, reflections, and film. The event is part of the North York Moors National Park's tenth anniversary Dark Sky Festival celebrations. According to a spokesperson, "The Dark Matters will challenge attendees to rethink the way we use light, highlighting the urgent need for action against excessive artificial light, which negatively impacts wildlife, human health, and the environment." The Dark Matters' campaign for more responsible use of artificial lighting is informed by a number of concerns, such as that of avoiding energy wastage and excessive emissions. It was also claimed, by a spokesperson, that "well-designed, warm-toned lighting not only enhances safety but also reduces crime"; other mentioned benefits of responsible lighting included safeguarding moths (which pollinate "a third of all plants," and are said to be vulnerable to artificial light), and reducing the incidence of hedgehogs wandering onto roads. The event's expert panel will discuss how "we can all contribute to creating better environments in both urban and natural settings." The discussion will be chaired by Dr Jen Hall, associate professor of tourism and events at York St John University, whose research looks at how public engagement with dark sky festivals supports conservation goals. Other panellists include Mike Hawtin, head of nature recovery at North York Moors National Park; Richard Darn, dark skies consultant, astronomer, and activist; Dr Claire Hind, professor of contemporary theatre at York St John University; Sarah Williams, energy and environmental projects officer at York St John University; and Dr Brendan Paddison, associate professor and interim dean at York Business School, York St John University. Attendees will also have the chance to view The Dark Matters film, which captures the research and findings of Dr Hall and Dr Paddison. Dr Hall said: "Yorkshire is a hub of Dark Skies activity, with fantastic efforts to reduce light pollution. "More than a third of Yorkshire's land area is under some form of dark sky designation, with a handful of villages now included too. "But as yet the UK has no Dark Sky city. "We believe York has the potential, knowledge, and impetus to be the first. "By coming together, we can protect our night skies for future generations and make York a model for responsible lighting in cities across the UK." Bookings for The Dark Matters can be made at
BBC News
19-02-2025
- BBC News
Canada's remote (but accessible) dark-sky sanctuary
Spanning 11,000 sq km of protected, pristine wilderness, Jasper National Park offers a one-of-a-kind destination for stargazers. It's a balmy October evening and an overture from the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra Strings hushes a buzzing crowd. Dusk has fallen in Jasper National Park, and I'm snug under a blanket, gazing up at a sea of stars amidst the Milky Way's glow. Just below, snow-dusted peaks rise towards the heavens and the clear, glacial-blue waters of Lac Beauvert blend into the inky darkness. Symphony Under the Stars is one of many events at the annual Dark Sky Festival (17 October to 2 November 2025) held in Jasper National Park, one of the world's largest and most accessible dark sky preserves. Designated as a Dark Sky Preserve in 2011 by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC) and spanning 11,000 sq km of protected land where minimal to no light pollution is allowed, Jasper isn't just one of the best places to stargaze; it's also an ideal spot to see the Northern Lights. And as experts predict that 2025 "will mesmerise" with one of the greatest aurora displays in 20 years, there's never been a better time to explore this quiet corner of the Canadian Rockies. Unlike other Dark Sky Preserves in Canada and the US like Wood Buffalo National Park and Grasslands National Park that have little to no infrastructure or lodging, the eponymous 4,700-person town of Jasper – located within the preserve – allows travellers easy stargazing access. According to Tyler Burgardt, an astrophysicist and general manager of the Jasper Planetarium, what makes Jasper so unique is visitors can drive right in. Located roughly 3.5 hours from Edmonton and Calgary, the town's hotels and locally led stargazing tours means star-lovers don't need to rough it. "You get to see something you don't get in other [accessible] places, which is the ability to see thousands of stars, even from the middle of town," Burgardt said. His favourite tour is one offered in summer, where guests visit the planetarium and then take a twilight stroll down to a peninsula located on Lac Beauvert. Ringed by rugged peaks and hauntingly silent, the only sound you may hear is the soft ripple of wind on the water. Burgardt estimates the Northern Lights are visible here roughly every 10 days to two weeks. "It's just absolutely beautiful," he said. "It's a really cool way to truly experience the nighttime side of the Canadian Rockies." The quaint, alpine community is committed to ensuring that minimal artificial lighting is visible by installing streetlights that point downwards and have a softer glow than regular lights. As Burgardt notes, Jasper's location within the national park, and surrounded by the Unesco-designated Canadian Rocky Mountains, also provides a natural barrier from the artificial light created by nearby cities. According to the RASC, the goal of a dark sky designation in a community is to promote "low-impact lighting practices, to improve the nocturnal environment for plants and wildlife, to protect and expand dark observing sites for astronomy and to provide accessible locations for naturalists and the general public to experience the naturally dark night sky". Phillipa Gunn, public relations and communications officer for Parks Canada, said Jasper National Park initially met some of the requirements from the RASC needed to become a Dark Sky Preserve prior to its official designation, including accessible observation sites where visitors can view the sky. "Jasper National Park is an ideal location for a Dark Sky Preserve as 97% of the park is a designated wilderness area, free of light pollution," Gunn said. Parks Canada has also continued to expand its dark sky interpretation programmes, while working with the town and private partners to ensure all the street fixtures in the townsite are dark-sky compliant. As a result, when driving to Jasper at night, it's nearly impossible to tell a town is even located in the vast blackness that envelopes the area. In July 2024, a series of devastating fires ripped through Jasper, causing the "jewel of the Rockies" to close for several months. The park reopened last autumn in time for the Jasper Dark Sky Festival – albeit just on a smaller scale. But with 2025 marking the festival's 15th anniversary, Naji Khouri, director of destination development for Tourism Jasper, says this year's festival will be bigger than ever before. Plans include a drone show where 200 synchronised drones put on a light display, notable guest speakers (Bill Nye has previously attended), planetarium stargazing sessions and a portable telescope and tent at the base of the Jasper Sky Tram. "We invite space or science enthusiasts, aurora chasers and anyone that is fascinated by the dark sky and wants to learn more about it. We have unique experiences that are really of interest to a wide range of people, including families," said Khouri. And locals want people to know that Jasper isn't only open for the Dark Sky Festival, but for business as usual, with more than 80% of local businesses back open since the blaze. After hiking the Sulphur Skyline trail to experience sweeping views of the Fiddle River Valley and Utopia Mountain, paddling on the "pearl necklace" that is Maligne Lake or exploring the Pyramid Lake Overlook by day, visitors should also seek out stories of the stars from an Indigenous and cultural lens. The Indigenous people of Canada have long utilised the night sky in all aspects of daily life: the stars and constellations served as guiding lights for their ancestors and the sky was used as both a clock and calendar, indicating when to plant, hunt and work the land. The stars are also intrinsically linked to First Nations' spiritual identities and are connected to the legends of the past. Matricia Bauer of Warrior Women, an Indigenous- and women-owned business run by Bauer and her daughter, offers a fireside stargazing tour in Jasper that is based around Indigenous creation stories. Being of Cree descent, Bauer recognised the importance of decolonising her own education and that included learning about the Cree Star Chart and the Indigenous constellations that came to rest in the kisik (sky), in Cree. "[The Cree Star Chart] made sense of the world around me, it made sense of the Northern Lights," she said. "I understood who Star Woman was. I understood why we come from the stars and why we return to the stars." In Cree culture, there are different Star Beings, and Star Woman is one of them. According to Bauer, Star Woman saw the Earth – where humans lived – and she gave up her Star Being to come to "Turtle Island" (North America) . When she became pregnant with twins, this was the start of the First People. At the end of her life, she was granted three wishes and one of the wishes was that she could return to the sky. More like this:• The Indigenous tribes reclaiming travel• The only land disputed between the US and Canada• The last places on Earth to see truly dark starry nights "And so, when we see the Northern Lights, we call that the Cipayuk," said Bauer. "It means ancestors dancing, or ghosts dancing. It's reminding us that there is another realm that exists, that we get to stay in for the rest of our lives. It's when we go back to the Star World where we came from." As Bauer recants stories with songs, she also tells me about Spider Woman, the one who is weaving our fates in the dark sky that soars above us. She then recounts the story of the coyote, tricking the wolves and bears into the sky so that he could create his own constellation. A story that takes place in winter, to be told in winter, when the days are short, the nights are long and the fire becomes a place to gather. To Bauer and many First Nations residents in and around Jasper, the stars, also known as achakosak, are considered relatives: "Every constellation, every star has a beautiful song, has a beautiful story, has a beautiful place in our culture." There are many more stories that Bauer wants to tell for visitors, and many more conversations to still be had under the black cloak of Jasper's night sky. The snap, crackle and pop of the fire is an accompanying beat to the drum that she plays, and her voice dances towards the place where she knows she will one day return. -- For more Travel stories from the BBC, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
16-02-2025
- Science
- BBC News
North Yorkshire Dark Skies Festival celebrates 10th year
While the sun may not always shine over North Yorkshire, it is recognised as one of 200 places in the world where the stars sparkle 2020, the North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales have been designated Dark Sky Reserves, and this week the Dark Sky Festival is celebrating its 10th festival includes more than 100 events, such as stargazing, craft activities, ghost walks, photography workshops and even an album release dance festivities are part of the global Dark Sky Movement, which encourages communities, parks and protected areas to preserve their skies through lighting policies and education. Today, more than a third of Yorkshire's land area is under some form of dark sky designation, says amateur astronomer Richard Darn."The application can take two to three years to complete, it's like going for the Olympics. It takes hard work to get this status."As a Yorkshireman, it was a great moment. From dark skies being a fringe thing, it's now mainstream."The festival will coincide with the planetary alignment, with Mars, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune appearing together in a row throughout January and February."It's not unheard of but it's quite unusual. Mars, Jupiter and Venus will be brilliant," says Mr Darn."This time of year is the very darkest time of year, so if you yearn for an inky black sky and sparkling stars, go out now."You can see things like galaxies, where the light has travelled millions of years before it reaches the telescope."The darker the sky the more impressive things look. Some things you can only really see in the rural areas of Yorkshire," he adds. Mr Darn adds that dark skies have a wider beneficial impact beyond stargazing opportunities."There are therapeutic benefits of the night sky. Just like walking down a river or being at the coast, human beings respond well to natural environments."But it's more than just that. Even on cloudy nights the dark sky is of value to wildlife. "One third of all UK wildlife is nocturnal. A significant proportion of pollination of plants takes place at night by moths. So anything that's a problem for those species is a problem for us."It's great to have fun under a starry sky and see wonderous things but it's more than just that, it's about biodiversity, it's about tranquillity, it's about human health, so there are lots of reasons why dark skies are desirable." 'It's not about turning lights off' To keep the skies dark, light pollution schemes have been rolled out across North Yorkshire. In the North York Moors about 1,000 dark sky-friendly lights have been retrofitted, says Mr says the schemes are not about stopping light, but about using it effectively when needed."We all need light, and it's not about turning lights off – it's about using a light with a proper shield so the light goes where you want it and not where you don't want it, so we don't fly tip light into the atmosphere, we keep it under control."Perhaps we can use warmer colours of light rather than harsh white light, which seems from studies to be more friendly to wildlife. Consider if you've got a light permanently on, is that necessary?" And if a dark, clear sky creates the environment needed for stargazing, don't worry about finding a telescope says Mr Darn. A smartphone is all you need."What you can achieve with a smartphone is gobsmacking," he says. "We would never have recommended using smartphones a couple of years ago, whereas now I use them. "I photographed the aurora using the phone I'm speaking on."Bring your phone with you and see if you can get a permanent memory." Mr Darn says smartphones have helped "democratise" astronomy; a perfect example of which was the incredible aurora displays of the last year. "The one in October must have been the most photographed aurora in history because everybody used their smartphones," he says."Aurora chasing has had a massive growth. Aurora watching applies to all ages and genders. "I've met groups of women who have met in car parks photographing the aurora and they will go where it is. It's democratised astronomy and made it more accessible."Of course you can't guarantee a clear night in North Yorkshire - even if there is a is always a chance – especially in February - that the weather won't play ball, and if that is the case, Mr Darn says, there's always a plan B."One way or another we'll take people on a journey through the heavens whether it's outside with a laser beam or inside using a planetarium programme. Plan B can sometimes be just as enjoyable."Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.
