The Milky Way over the Methow Valley.
My favorite Bill Watterson “Calvin and Hobbes” cartoon features the stargazing duo under a night sky, ruminating, “If people looked at the stars each night, they’d live a lot differently.”
April is Global Astronomy Month, a time when organizations around the globe set up telescopes in urban areas to share close up views of planets and constellations to spark interest in protecting our night skies. International Dark sky Week begins on Saturday, April 15. The timing coincides with the new moon — the perfect opportunity to clearly see the Milky Way over the Methow Valley on a clear night.
This week, take a moment to appreciate the beauty of the night sky, and learn how to protect this precious resource. Download an astronomical application on a mobile phone for an interpretive guide to the night sky. “Sky Tonight” and “Star Walk” show constellations, planets, and more.
As long as humans walked the Earth, they have had a vested interest in the night sky. Constellations were used to navigate the open seas, equinoxes determined times to plant and harvest, and moon phases were used as calendars. Carl Sagan noted, “Before we invented civilization our ancestors lived mainly in the open out under the sky.”
Kick off International Dark Sky week on Saturday with a day trip to the Methow Valley Interpretive Center on the TwispWorks campus. The center is open Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m. One of the exhibits, “Methow Seasonal Food Cycle,” shows how the Methow People use the seasonal movement of stars and planets to plan seasonal gathering and food preparation.
On Thursday, April 20, the Methow Valley Interpretive Center hosts Wenatchi-Methow Tribal Elder Randy Lewis for a showing of “The Winter’s Tale” — a film created by North Central Washington film students. The film is a wonderful mix of animation, storytelling, oral history, and geological forces. The Winthrop Barn doors open at 6:30 p.m., the film starts at 7 p.m. A suggested donation of $15 goes to support the Methow Valley Interpretive Center. The event is open to all ages. More information and a trailer of “The Winter’s Tale” can be viewed at www.methowvalleyinterpretivecenter.com.
Saturday, April 22, celebrate Earth Day with the Methow Dark Sky Coalition at the John Doran ranch. The Earth Day Event is sponsored by Methow Recycles. The Dark Sky volunteers will participate in the event with the Methow Valley Citizens Council. Stop by their booth to meet the advocates and learn more about local efforts to protect our precious dark skies. Tickets to the Earth Day Celebration are $25. More information at www.methowrecycles.org/events/earth-day.
More information on International Dark Sky week can be found at https://idsw.darksky.org.
Closer to home, the Methow Dark Sky Coalition has an updated website with local observations sites, events, and information for homeowners , at www.methowdarksky.org.
The national news this month so far has been dark. But I am reminded of three quotes from American titans. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “I know, somehow, that only when it is dark enough can you see the stars.” I take great hope in his words, and guidance from Theodore Roosevelt, “Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground.” And finally, Richard Melville Hall, “People they come together … We are all made of stars.”
