Utah Skies » Announcements

Christmas in the Stars

donb — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 16:52:29 +0000

NGC2264 - The Christmas Tree Cluster

Whether by divine yuletide direction or curious chaotic convergence, the Christmas Tree Cluster offers a symbol of the day with a familiar arbor likeness. A collection of stars in the constellation Monoceros (the Unicorn), this object was discovered by William Herschel in the late 18th century. In this picture from the Wide Field Imager (WFI) attached to the 2.2-meter Max-Planck Society/ESO telescope at the La Silla observatory in Chile, nebulae containing gas and dust are visible that serve as the birthplace of stars, a fitting analog to the celebrated birth of the Christan Savior on this day. Merry Christmas to all from Utah Skies.

Ursid Meteor Shower Approaching

anthonya — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 15:12:38 +0000

The annual Ursid Meteor Shower is approaching, and it’s timing couldn’t be better. It peaks on the night of December 22nd -> 23rd, a night on which a tiny, waning crescent moon will rise around 3:30am. The small phase of the moon, along with its late arrival will frame the meteor shower under the darkest skies possible. Additionally, Comet 8P Tuttle (which produced the shower) made a very close pass to Earth earlier this year. The combination could produce a dramatic burst of activity with upwards of 100 meteors per hour possible.

Here are a few meteor viewing tips to help you get the most out of the opportunity. First up, simply head outside after dark on any night within a couple of days of the shower. Later is usually better, but you never know when a burst of activity might arise. The meteor shower’s radiant is near the star Polaris in the constellation Ursa Major. The radiant is the point from which (or to which) meteors appear to radiate from. Meteors can appear anywhere in the sky, but Ursid Meteors will trace a line to a point just below Polaris. Be sure to bundle up, as night time temperatures this time of year can be quite chilly. A reclining chair or lounger is ideal to prevent neck strain. Enjoy!

New Look for the Site

donb — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:24:42 +0000

It was time for a change and the invigoration of new life into the Utah Skies website. Thanks to the highly extended features of Wordpress, we’ve been able to leverage this ostensible blogging product as our portal engine! Stay tuned for great news from our terrestrial work raising light pollution prevention awareness to highlighting astronomy news locally, around the globe, and into the universe.

Saturday’s Star Party Another Success

donb — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 15:05:42 +0000

Last Saturday’s star party at Park City’s Trailside Park was another success, where those with and without optics gathered to enjoy the wonders of summer’s night sky. Said one attendee from New York, "I can’t believe how many stars I can see." Certainly, parts of Utah boast some of America’s darkest skies, but this paradise is threatened. As can be seen in this accompanying image, Trailside Park’s dark skies are in jeopardy with nearby Park City glowing on the southern horizon. Learn what you can do to help prevent light pollution and lessen the current problem by following easy guidelines and installing darksky-friendly lights.

Utah Skies Turns 5

donb — Fri, 31 Mar 2006 03:00:49 +0000

Many would say we act it, but… this week Utah Skies turned five. Just over five years ago, Utah Skies began sharing out passion for the wonders of the night sky with anybody who’s listen We’ve made it a point to try to instill an awe for the vastness of the universe… and raise awareness to the growing problem of light pollution that threatens our heritage of star-filled skies. Through the years, we’ve worked with a large number of really wonderful people. Thanks to all who have made this an enjoyable adventure. We’re looking forward to the next 5 years!

Swaner Nature Preserve/Utah Skies Snowshoeing and Star Gazing

donb — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 07:00:00 +0000

Park City based non-profit Swaner Nature Preserve and Utah Skies will co-present an evening of snowshoeing and star gazing this Friday, January 20th. “Last year’s trips were a lot of fun for everyone that participated, and extremely well received,” said Utah Skies co-founder Don Brown. Friday night’s event will include a nice mix of snowshoeing into the Preserve, informative presentations on the Preserve’s nocturnal wildlife, some excellent star- and moon-gazing (Utah Skies will provide the telescopes), discussions of the wonder and importance of the night sky and light pollution reduction, moon and constellation lore, and more. This is a great activity for the entire family, and interested community members and visitors are encouraged to participate.

Check for updates on KPCW and in the Park Record, and log onto either www.swanernaturepreserve.org or www.utahskies.org.

There is no charge to participate, and snowshoes will be provided to the first 60 people that need them. Snacks and hot drinks will be served around a fire. You are encouraged to bring your own snowshoes, as well as binoculars. For more information, call Swaner Nature Preserve at 649-1767.