Zahi Hawass calls himself a simple man, but the world’s foremost Egyptologist spends much of his time with ancient royalty, gods and goddesses. In fact, Dr. Hawass is revered as a legend in his own right, charmed by Aphrodite herself, inspired by the Great Pyramid builder Khufu and driven by the “magic of Egypt” to coax the desert sand into giving up secrets of what he calls “the world’s greatest civilization.” This fall, with the help of CT scans and DNA technology, Hawass expects to reveal the … [Read more...] about Exploring the Gilded World of Pharaohs, Mummies, Pyramids and ‘the Afterlife that Built Egypt’
Flagstaff Dark Skies
Keeping Flagstaff’s Night Skies Dark
The City of Flagstaff and the Northern Arizona region have achieved worldwide recognition for innovative leadership in the protection of dark skies. Beginning in 1958, with regulations that addressed searchlights, more than a half-century of policy decisions and implementations have fostered an astronomy industry that now includes Lowell Observatory, the U.S. Naval Observatory, the Navy Prototype Optical Interferometer, the National Undergraduate Research Observatory, the U.S. Geological Survey … [Read more...] about Keeping Flagstaff’s Night Skies Dark
Neighborhood Sets Example for Soft, Focused Light and Dark Starry Skies
Avid hiker Andrea Michaels has long enjoyed watching the Perseids meteor showers from the banks of Laurel Lake, a duck pond on the edge of Walnut Canyon Village in east Flagstaff. However, her view is even better now, she says, because community members have largely changed their outdoor light fixtures to meet dark-sky standards. “If you’re a camper or a backpacker, one of the greatest thrills when you’re out is looking into the endless depths of the universe,” she said. “It was frustrating … [Read more...] about Neighborhood Sets Example for Soft, Focused Light and Dark Starry Skies
Regional Residents Discuss Protecting Dark Skies
The value of the dark skies resource and what can be done to make sure the region’s exceptional dark skies aren’t diluted by light pollution were topics addressed by local leaders and national dark sky experts in two visioning sessions hosted by the Flagstaff Dark Skies Coalition (FDSC) via Zoom and facilitated by Arizona Town Hall President and CEO Tara Jackson and volunteer Chair-elect Evelyn Casuga. Retired U.S. Naval Observatory astronomer and Coalition member Chris Luginbuhl noted the … [Read more...] about Regional Residents Discuss Protecting Dark Skies
