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Galaxy Happenings 12B • Moab Happenings www.moabhappenings.com Galaxy Happenings A Galactic Spring! by Spencer Stokes, Dead Horse Point State Park Ranger Spring is a wonderful time of the year to dust off the see this galaxy with the naked eye. binoculars, and telescopes, to peer into the night sky, and This is a testament to its leviathan Dead Horse Point is located nine miles north of uncover the veil of deep space to see galaxies beyond size, Andromeda is estimated to Moab on US 191, and 23 miles southwest on SR313 (32 imagination! Galaxies are some of the most fascinating contain close to 1 trillion stars. miles total.) The visitor center is open from 9 a.m. to 5 deep space objects to view because of their immense size The furthest galaxy from the earth p.m. daily. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and and distance from earth. There are a few galaxies that stand is GN-z11, which astronomers New Year’s Day. Park admission is $20 per vehicle and out for amateur astronomers, so let’s take a dive into some estimate to be a whopping 13.4 is valid for three days. fascinating details about galaxies. billion light-years away! Here are Galaxies are incredible formations composed of examples of a spiral galaxy and an millions, to billions, to trillions of stars. They can come elliptical galaxy. Image by NASA in the night sky. A in many diff erent shapes and sizes but generally fall into The galaxy that earth is located in is called the Milky combination of both two categories; spiral and elliptical. The physical size of Way Galaxy. In a location with dark skies, you can see visual magnitude and a galaxy is staggering, traveling the core and arm of the galaxy, which is what people have surface brightness at the speed of light would take called the Milky Way. In the summer months look towards leads to the most 3,000 years to cross a small galaxy the brightest section of the milky way, which is very close easily seen galaxies, and up to 300,000 years to cross to the constellation Sagittarius, and you will be looking and springtime is the a large galaxy. The majority of directly into the core of our Galaxy. It is a spiral galaxy, best time to see these galaxies have a similar structure estimated to contain 100-400 billion stars, and would take amazing deep space Image by NASA of a nucleus surrounded by clouds a spacecraft 100,000 years to cross it traveling at the speed objects. So here are of stars and dust, or a spiral shape of light! When you look out at the night sky all of the stars a handful of the best galaxies to see this spring; M81/M82, of clouds and dust. A galactic you can see are a part of the Milky Way Galaxy. (Milky Way The Leo Triplet, M51, and The Realm of Galaxies. Use a nucleus is incredibly chaotic and Image by NASA pictured over Bryce Canyon National Park) search engine to fi nd star charts for these objects and get contains a supermassive black hole. The closest galaxy to Only a handful of the closest and brightest galaxies outside to see some awe-inspiring sights. Just be prepared, earth, besides our own, is the Andromeda Galaxy, which is 3 are visible to the naked eye under perfect conditions. So galaxies seen through telescopes and binoculars look very million light-years away! On a clear and dark night, you can binoculars, or a telescope, are essential to seeing galaxies diff erent from pictures taken with long exposures! Explore the Wonders of Range Creek! P.O. Box 68, Moab UT 84532 800-860-5262 • 435-259-7750 cfi moab.org • info@cfi moab.org This June, Canyonlands Field Institute is travelling back a day’s worth of exploring, evenings will be spent eating in time to explore the breathtaking Fremont archeology of FIELD INS TITUTE deliciousConnecting Peoplemeals, and relaxing Nature: History, around Education camp, and and Adventure discussing Range Creek. Nestled within the Book Cliff s, Range Creek the day’s discoveries. This canyon is home to unique archeological resources including format is great for any level dwellings, pictographs, of camper and will enable petroglyphs, and pottery. you to fully disconnect, Anybody is welcome, relax, and explore while we from home-grown worry about all those pesky archeologists looking to details! expand their knowledge We are incredibly beyond tourist-trampled excited to include this trip sites, to folks interested in within our Adult Seminar receiving a compelling introduction to some of the area’s Series. Trips just like this former inhabitants. one take place throughout Over the course of this 3-day, 2-night adventure, we they may have eventually departed. This is a limited public the year, visiting various will be joined by Archeologists Dr. Kevin Jones, and Jamie access space and we are one of only a few outfi tters that are cultural and archeological Hollingsworth. Check out our website to learn more about permitted to take groups into the area! sites. Logistics are supported by CFI naturalist guides so these phenomenal guest experts. With decades of combined The trip follows a basecamp format: CFI naturalist that you can concentrate on engaging with our guest experts! experience, you will be treated to the engaging narrative of guides will drive the group overland into the backcountry Proceeds from our Adult Seminar Series are directed toward this landscape: who lived here, how they lived, and why and set up a comfortable vehicle supported camp. After underwriting the opportunities that Canyonlands Field Institute provides to explore Moab’s beautiful surroundings. Whether you’ve THE BEST JERKY ON explored every nook and cranny the JOHN WESLEY POWELL PLANET EARTH Colorado Plateau has to offer, or are looking to go RIVER HISTORY MUSEUM beyond the typical curated archeological experiences, this trip is sure to capture your NOW SHOWING imagination. Range Creek’s wildness is rejuvenating, its archeology is breathtaking, and its mysteries are vast. And “Our River Is Our Community” we can’t wait to share them with you! If you have any questions or wish to save a spot on this trip, visit https://cfi moab.org/trips/range-creek-utah- Check Website for archaeology-trip/ or all us at 435 259-7750. Happy exploring! Upcoming Events MARTIAN MEAT! Utah’s Original THAT’S REALLY NEAT! Home of the River Runners A COME Hall of Fame TASTY EAT! ! HOURS: MON-SAT 9AM-5PM TREAT 1765 E. MAIN ST. GREEN RIVER, UT Nightly Programs • Call for Reservations 435-210-0066 • www.moab-astronomy.com 40 JOHNWESLEYPOWELL.COM | 435-564-3427 JUST MINUTEs NORTH OF MOAB! Veteran Owned & Operated Since 2009.
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