GUESTTHE COLORADO PLATEAU DARK SKY COOPERATIVESPOTLIGHTISSUE 3.5 - MAY 2020

THE KID WHO CAN’T GROW UP AND AND DOESN’T WANT TO

his is the story of a boy who was His love affair with darkness of astronomy education. This began Tborn on the Colorado Plateau probably began when he occasionally with a job at the Robert T. Longway more than eight decades ago. It is slept overnight on the lawn beside planetarium in Flint, Michigan. a story about love of darkness that his home. He looked up at the From there he migrated to Michigan allows us to see distant light. beauty apparent overhead and began State University working at Abrams to wonder, as all of us do, about Planetarium. The kid grew up in the town of himself existing in all this beauty Kanab, Utah. , he tried to “grow that surrounds us; not just beauty at umping way ahead to when the up” but never could get the hang of night; beauty of those red hills, of the Jboy was about three-and-one-half it. His decade older sister calls him rocks, plants, animals and all the rest. decades old, while traveling back west “The mean widdle kid” – a reference He sensed that he was literally in the with his family to visit relatives, they to a roll played by comedian Red presence of the Sun when he felt its stopped for the night at Badlands Skelton. warmth upon his skin. National Park where they attended a campfire program. Not many trees to The sky was pretty dark in Kanab At home and at school the boy obstruct the sky at that NPS location! in those long-ago days; just a few became obsessed with science more His family just wandered over to streetlights on a few corners and lights than with girls – oh yes, eventually where the “ranger” was building a at a few businesses. In one respect he did fall in love with one woman campfire for the evening program. the kid did not like darkness. At and they began to have a family of He greeted them with the question, night he would run from streetlight boys. He went away to Universities “Where are you from?” to streetlight because of some innate to study physics, and then astronomy fear of darkness inherited through and that carried him into the field generations. THE KID WHO CAN’T GROW UP AND DOESN’T WANT TO VON DEL CHAMBERLAIN

As the ranger continued working he context with his own profession of greeted all the other attendees with using a domed projection screen to “What is the vertical the same question. He also inquired simulate what he now saw with such about what people had been doing clarity. He whispered to himself, boundary of a park?” that day. It was interesting to hear “That ranger was very skilled at his the replies and learn that most of us job. He knew his audience when he were from fair-sized cities around began the program and he expertly the opportunity to include the U.S.A., with a few from other covered what he was supposed to tell the wondrous starry sky in its countries. Finally, with the fire them about the park. But wait! He presentations. The reply was, “our burning and the audience in place, missed one grand opportunity. Those job is to interpret the things that the ranger looked at the group and people were experiencing something are unique to THIS Park and that began his presentation. Employing many of them had not likely known is primarily geology, paleontology, a small screen and slide projector before. They came from lighted cities wildlife and ecology, not astronomy.” he discussed the special features of and here they were in silent darkness the Badlands, talking about what he under those beautiful stars that Driving on the way west again hoped people had noticed that day or seemed so close that one might reach with family, perhaps only a mile should look for the next. up and pull them down to earth. or so from the park, the boy nearly Wasn’t that celestial vista something stopped to turn around. “But, that While the ranger did his work and the interrupter might have used in starry sky last night WAS a unique it got darker, the kid, who used a his presentation?” of THAT Park for most planetarium to motivate people for of THAT audience. What is enjoying and learning about the Next morning the sleepy man who the vertical boundary of cosmos, became excited by the stark still felt like a kid went over to the a park?” beauty of the canvas overhead. He park office – just a small trailer-house wanted to call out “Look – look at building – and asked if he might the sky – just look at that wonderful speak with the “Naturalist”. When vista, that exquisite beauty that the “Interpreter,” as he learned they encases us.” But he restrained himself called themselves, came out the boy throughout the presentation. from the planetarium tried his best to tactfully ask if the Back at camp, lying under the stars, park had considered he could not sleep; he never slept in a tent unless rain or insects made it necessary. Looking at the spectacular starscape of heaven he thought about what he had just experienced in

Image courtesy Zion National Park, Photographer Carl E. Jepson, Museum Catalog Number ZION 9439. The roadside signs in Springdale, ‘Kanab - the Little Hollywood of Utah’ - rear view of sign. THE COLORADO PLATEAU DARK SKY COOPERATIVE ISSUE 3.5 - MAY 2020

Sunset over the park, Mesa Verde National Park, 2014.

e encountered that same Later on his first visit to Mesa Verde Of course, that is what they did and Hrationale in other places as National Park with family, he pulled should do. Back home he went to well as a cleaver story that illustrates up to the Visitor Center overlooking Michigan State University library the situation. Picture the scene of a Spruce Tree House about the same thinking that surely he could find small group gathered on a hilltop time that a man, woman and little some interesting bits about Native with a ranger pointing out special boy arrived. The boy tugged at his American astronomical beliefs and features of a national park when he father’s legs, jumping up and down, practices. He was overwhelmed at is interrupted by one of the group “can we go down there?” he asked. the abundance and variety of what – “Ranger, what is that beautiful The man replied, “what for, we can he found, concluding that American bright star up there?” Ranger: “Sorry, see it better from up here than from Indian traditions of the sky were just I do not know.” Visitor: “I thought down there.” as engaging and profound as those rangers were supposed to know about found anywhere else in the world. everything in the park.” Ranger: Going into the Visitor Center the “Why aren’t they better known here “That isn’t in the park!” Kanab kid and family explored the in America,” he asked himself. Thus nice museum. When he asked to see began one of the most important the “interpreter” who soon appeared, and interesting quests of his life. he asked the now-familiar question; Exploring what has been known as “Have you considered using the , ethnoastronomy night sky in any of your programs,” and cultural astronomy, our and he received the familiar answer. boy ended up attending lots of “Our mission is to interpret what is conferences at which he presented unique to this particular park and and published papers. His primary that mostly concerns the people who researches concerned Diné (Navajo), lived here long ago.” Pawnee and later Zuni sky traditions. THE KID WHO CAN’T GROW UP AND DOESN’T WANT TO VON DEL CHAMBERLAIN

nd so the man, but still a kid While on a family vacation in the Then in 1972 he used a sabbatical from Adown inside, embarked on one summer of 1971 he introduced Michigan State University for a more of the most important journeys of what he called “sky interpretation” formalized program at a dozen parks his life – really more a quest than a to a few National Parks – Rocky (Canyon de Chelly, Chaco Canyon, journey. He became absorbed with Mountain National Park, Bryce Glen Canyon, Zion Canyon, Cedar the opportunity people at parks and Canyon National Park, Capitol Reef Breaks, Bryce Canyon, Craters of other outdoor visitation places had. National Monument and Grand the Moon, Crater Lake, Modoc Lava He was sure that they had a much Canyon National Park (South Rim). Beds, Mount Rainier, Olympus and better chance of helping people learn Sky Interpretation became, for Glacier). At Canyon de Chelly Lloyd about the cosmos in parks than he him, akin to preaching the gospel Jacklin, Chief of Interpretation, took did in planetariums. of introducing basic astronomy to him into the canyons to see what people out in nature. The intent was were being called “Planetarium sites” not to present formalized astronomy, with groups of stars painted on ledge but rather to employ the most basic overhangs, and rock shelters. Thus astronomy to give visitors a more began a more serious interest in holistic exposure to the beauty and Native American ethnoastronomy. deeper relationships between earth and sky.

“The intent was not to present formalized astronomy, but rather to employ the most basic astronomy to give visitors a more holistic exposure to the beauty and deeper relationships between earth and sky.”

Bryce Canyon looking up, Bettymaya Foott THE COLORADO PLATEAU DARK SKY COOPERATIVE ISSUE 3.5 - MAY 2020

Chaco Fajada, Bettymaya Foott

t Chaco Canyon that interest tiny replica of a puebloan ruin made expressed thanks for the recent Aintensified. Watching Fajada of small rocks held together with moisture, the brother whispered, Butte, a lone bluff standing mud as they shouted in unison, “see, “They are thanking the wrong majestically in the mouth of the we made a damage.” person.” canyon, our “Colorado Plateau kid” kept thinking that this was Hoping that they might have clear The sky interpretation training a most likely place where ancient dark night skies, they had carefully program continued at many people might have gone to make scheduled the times for visiting additional parks in the following critical observations for calendar these places. In preparation for this years. As part of the effort five issues keeping and other reasons. The park trip they had asked what kind of of a Sky Interpretation Resource superintendent told him and his weather they might expect. One Bulletin were published and two older boys how to climb the park answered, “don’t worry, about distributed to interested parks. The butte where they found , weather, we haven’t had a drop of bulletins suggested ideas to make including the spiral that rain in months.” However, they the sky part of any park scene and would become the famous “Sun drove into the area amid flashing included lists of astronomers from Dagger” a year or so later. When lightning and resounding thunder. various universities and observatories they returned to the superintendent’s People began jokingly thanking who were willing, indeed eager, to home the two younger boys came them for bringing the first rain of the visit parks and present programs to running out shouting, “we made a season. Meeting other family in his staff and visitors. damage!” Dreading what might have hometown our “Kanab kid” told his happened, the hikers followed the brother about the bad weather they pair of youngsters into the driveway had encountered. As they attended where the boys were pointing at a church together when the invocation THE KID WHO CAN’T GROW UP AND DOESN’T WANT TO VON DEL CHAMBERLAIN

ll of this led to experiences Everyone in the group learned the laser pointer farther down, “and here Awhere this small town kid names of those stars. Reaching the is Spica in Corvus. Some people say engaged audiences under starry skies top, overlooking that magnificent ‘follow the arc to Arcturus and drive a in parks, on river trips, cruise ships lake, now under a jaw-dropping dark spike to Spica’; others say ‘follow the – including a Halley’s Comet cruise starry sky, people had a few “friends” arc to Arcturus and speak to Spica.” – hill tops, night walks, etc. as well as up there. If they had waited until the At that point one child piped, “You in planetariums. top of the trail they would not have could say, follow the arc to Arcturus been able to pick those stars out from and spit on Spica!” On one night walk at beautiful Crater among the myriads of dimmer ones Lake, he put a telescope at the base of now visible. They looked around and It was quieter going back down the a trail going up to the rim overlooking talked with each other – this was not trail. They walked carefully to avoid the lake, indicating that those who a lecture – it was an exchange of ideas tripping, falling and tumbling in the wanted to could stop and use the about what could be seen. darkness while they thought about scope on the way back. They started how they had climbed a little way up up the trail in twilight, stopping to At one point they were directed along into the sky where they stood on the rest here and there. At each stop they the Big Dipper from bowl to handle rim of a crater amazed at the glittering looked at stars becoming visible with and on to the star Arcturus, “You can cosmos. They did stop at the bottom growing darkness. find Arcturus by remembering the of the trail to look with the telescope phrase ‘follow the arc to Arcturus,’ “ and continue conversing. the man said, then added, moving the

The Milky Way illumines the night sky over Crater Lake at Crater Lake National Park, Oregon. Jeremy M. White / NPS THE COLORADO PLATEAU DARK SKY COOPERATIVE ISSUE 3.5 - MAY 2020

Anasazi State Park Markers HWY. 12. Published by Utah State History; digitized and hosted by J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah

he kid spent a decade at the the urging of a Utah archaeologist, most interesting to find that there TSmithsonian National Air he drove over the Boulder Mountain was a tiny set of room blocks on the and Space Museum, another at the to Anasazi Indian Village State Park east edge of the bluff. From up there Hansen Planetarium in Salt Lake to check on possible astronomical it was obvious that the entire annual City and he taught a course titled orientations of the site. Knowing calendar could easily be defined. “Astronomy in Our Lives” – no, not that the most important astronomy astrology, rather basic astronomy for any village would likely involve So our Colorado Plateau Kid of the naked-eye sky – at both the sunrise and sunset observations to worked with the park archaeologist, University of Utah and Utah Valley reveal times to plant and harvest climbing to the top of the ledge University. crops, he walked through and around many times throughout the year the village site. to photographically document Taking a big jump in time we the sunrise calendar showing that consider an example of how the two From the village itself it was obvious Schoolhouse Ledge was a likely place professional passions (encouraging that the visible horizons both to the where the village Sunwatcher could astronomy education in beautiful east and west were not suited for such have done his work so that people places where lots of people go observations, but a bluff just west who lived there about 1,000 years and exploring Native American of the village, called “Schoolhouse ago could have an accurate reliable traditions of the sky) of the kid came Ledge” by the local residents, looked calendar to know when to plant, together. Having just conducted sky interesting. From the top of that bluff harvest and do other important interpretation training at Capitol there was a perfect, nicely contoured things. Reef National Park in May 1994, at distant horizon in both the sunrise and sunset directions, and it was THE KID WHO CAN’T GROW UP AND DOESN’T WANT TO VON DEL CHAMBERLAIN

K, that is surely enough about of the cosmos and without that we Othis small town kid who cannot hope to comprehend our own attempted, but failed, to “grow up” deepest origins. Almost in a panic “We are, after all, one on the edge of the Colorado Plateau. with the expectation that endangered example of the universe When he retired from formalized darkness might not survive, it is being able to comprehend teaching, he returned to his “Center somewhat comforting to know there Place” among the red hills of Kanab. are numerous efforts underway itself, and without to save darkness so that we can see darkness what would Over the decades of his life so much where we came from and recognize we know about the vast has changed! The “Earth at Night” pathways leading toward what we cosmos we emerged from?” photograph taken from orbit tells it might become. We are, after all, one all. The starry sky is, as surely as can example of the universe being able be, on the endangered list for most to comprehend itself, and without . Even in tiny communities darkness what would we know about lights begin to overwhelm our view the vast cosmos we emerged from?

Earth at Night. NASA’s Earth Observatory/NOAA/DOD THE COLORADO PLATEAU DARK SKY COOPERATIVE ISSUE 3.5 - MAY 2020

POSTSCRIPT ABOUT THE AUTHOR ships, in planetariums and out under nature’s stars. Major employment has The kid from Kanab, Von Del Von Del Chamberlain received a BA taken him from Flint Community Chamberlain, is pleased to be part degree with major in physics from the College to Michigan State University, of a group working to establish the University of Utah and a MS degree the Smithsonian Institution’s Stellar Vista Observatory dedicated to in astronomy from the University National Air and Space Museum, helping members of his community of Michigan. He taught classes for the Hansen Planetarium in Salt Lake and visitors look into darkness with the University of Michigan, Flint City where he retired in 1996, and eyes and lenses, exploring the cosmos Community College, Michigan State Utah Valley State College. He was for themselves. He has summarized University, University of Utah and Scholar in Residence for the Pope his own lifelong experience with such Utah Valley State College (now Utah Southwest Desert Institute at Utah exploration by saying, “The better I Valley University). His profession Valley State College. He is most know the cosmos, the more I love the has been primarily that of museum noted for his studies in Native North Earth.” and planetarium administrator and American ethnoastronomy. He is educator, with considerable time the author of nearly 200 articles and spent in sky interpretation in parks papers, and five books the latest of and other outdoor settings. He has which is a novel titled, Children of lectured in classrooms, on cruise the Sky.

LEARN MORE Children of the Sky

When Stars Came Down to Earth: Cosmology of the Skidi Pawnee Indians of North America

Songs from the Sky: Indigenous Astronomical and Cosmological Traditions of the World

Von Del Chamberlain Cultural Astronomy Collection

Great Lakes Planetarium Association, speaker Von Del Chamberlain

Sunrise Calendar Keeps Time at Von Del standing Anasazi State Park atop “Indian Dancehall” His Eyes on the Skies: Von Del overlooking Chamberlain Kanab Downwinders Interview with Von Del Chamberlain

Stellar Vista Observatory