This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Blanding • Utah State Parks and the National Park Service are teaming up for an astronomy program on Jan. 21 at Edge of the Cedars State Park, a place where sculptures also celebrate the night sky.
A program called "Seeing the Skies through Navajo Eyes" will allow patrons to view the stars inside a portable planetarium, all the while learning about Navajo constellations and star stories. The shows begin every 30 minutes from 2 to 5 p.m. in the museum auditorium.
At sunset, around 5:30 p.m., ranger Gordon Gower of Natural Bridges National Monument will present an evening of astronomy.
His lecture will detail how the National Park Service has tried to protect night skies, and ends with a tribute to the dark skies of southeastern Utah.
After the lecture, visitors will be invited, weather permitting, to head outside, and tour the major sights of the winter sky. Topics may include finding our way in the sky, star colors and temperatures, and star distances. Visitors can use a large astronomical telescope to view stars, nebulae and galaxies as well as the planet Jupiter.
For information on the event, call 435-678-2238.