Star Party

star party

celebrants look skyward for inspiration

nOT MANY PEOPLE CAN boast of having thousands of guests help celebrate their wedding anniversary year after year. But that kind of crowd has joined Vicki and Dean Ketelsen since their first anniversary in 1991. As founders of the Annual Grand Canyon Star Party, the couple encourages amateur astronomers from across the country to volunteer their services and telescopes to provide free viewing for visitors to the Canyon.

In 1990, the Ketelsens honeymooned on the South Rim, setting up on a tripod their celestial battleship binoculars to peer down into the Canyon during the day, and toward distant stars and clusters at night. Within moments, they found themselves sharing the views with passing guests. Today, Dean, a senior research specialist currently working on the large binocular telescope project at the University of Arizona, and Vicki coordinate activities of the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association at Yavapai Point on the South Rim for an eight-night viewing extravaganza.

“Wow! I never knew there were so many stars,” another person exclaimed.

It's a typical city-dweller comment. Photographs from outer space reveal that a continuously expanding encroachment of lights throw their brilliance to the sky. From Chicago to Long Island, Las Vegas to Los Angeles, Orlando to Dallas, young urban residents have been denied the opportunity to view all but the brightest stars, and many never see the constellations they learn about. But when the United States government began setting aside land for future generations, it unwittingly preserved for them another opportunity — to see stars in nature's “planetarium.”

Fortunately, Arizona still has areas where the night sky provides a backdrop free of light pollution for spectacular stellar-gazing. Yavapai Point remains such a location. During the day, its views include the majesty of the Canyon and a glimpse of Earth's geologic past. At night, one can gaze upon the history of the universe reaching back in time millions of light years.

At this year's star party, June 16-23, more than 35 instruments, varying in size from binoculars to giant reflectors, will be available for use at Yavapai Point. At twilight, guest speakers will present slide shows on astronomy. By nightfall, visitors will leave the lecture area to wander from telescope to telescope to view the spectacular star clusters and galaxies.

“There's Mercury just below the constellation Gemini,” commented an amateur astronomer last year.

“Those stars are shaped like a coat hanger,” said a guest who was viewing the heavens through binoculars.

“Here's the Ring Nebula, seen through a 12-inch reflector.”

“What's that cloud stretching across the sky?”

“What you're looking at is the Milky Way, part of our own galaxy,” an astronomer answered.

Later in the evening, as the crowd thinned, other visitors pondered their relationship with stars: “There's a sense of a world-community, knowing that these stars are visible Back East where my family lives.”

“I think of poets and composers who have written about the stars and space. They help me understand how important it is to be able to see all of this,” said an awestruck observer.

“I have a sense of spiritual security just knowing that we are somehow associated with all this beauty,” explained a novice.

Concluding the evening, a gentleman commented, “If we couldn't see the stars, we would not wonder at the possibility of traveling out into space. Viewing stars like this inspires me to look toward the future and what might be.” AH

OTHER ARIZONA STARGAZING LOCATIONS

SKYWATCHER'S INN,
BENSON

Vega-Bray Observatory bed and breakfast (by appointment only). Lodging costs $75 to $110 per night, double occupancy, with full breakfast. For a basic astronomy session, add (per group) $85 to $95, which includes a session with an astronomer and use of the 20-inch Maksutov telescope. Information: (520) 615-3886 or www.communiverse.com.

KITT PEAK,
55 MILES SOUTHWEST
OF TUCSON

Guided tours are free. Three-hour stargazing sessions, including a box dinner, are available. Cost is $35 for adults, $25 for seniors, students and children under 18. Information: (520) 318-8726 or www.noao.edu.

LOWELL OBSERVATORY,
FLAGSTAFF

Guided tours are available day and night; open 9 A.M. to 5 P.M., reopening at 7:30 P.M. Cost is $4 for adults, $3.50 for seniors and $2 for children 5-17. Information: (520) 774-3358 or www.lowell.edu/outreach.

BIOSPHERE 2 CENTER,
ORACLE

The 24-inch Ritchey-Chretien reflector telescope duplicates the optical design of the Hubble Space Telescope. The observatory sits on a ridge above the Biosphere 2 campus, 30 minutes north of Tucson. Costs vary depending on the program. Information: (520) 825-1289 or www.bio2.edu.