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 … [Read more...] about Regional Residents Discuss Protecting Dark Skies
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Lowell Observatory Presents 2NDAnnual I Heart Pluto Festival
Lowell Observatory is pleased to present a celebration 91 years in the making: the 2nd Annual I Heart Pluto Festival. Retired NASA astronauts Nicole Stott and Ron Garan and New Horizons scientists Dr. Alan Stern and Dr. Will Grundy headline the event. This free, all-virtual celebration runs from … [Read more...] about Lowell Observatory Presents 2NDAnnual I Heart Pluto Festival
Lowell Observatory Presents Great Conjunction Virtual Event
Jupiter and Saturn will appear closer to each other on December 21 than they have in nearly 400 years, and Lowell Observatory will be covering this great conjunction with a free interactive livestream program. Beginning at 5 p.m. MST/7 p.m. EST on the 21st, Lowell astronomers and … [Read more...] about Lowell Observatory Presents Great Conjunction Virtual Event
Lowell Scientists Help Characterize a Second Known Minimoon
Astronomers using data collected with the Lowell Discovery Telescope (LDT) have helped to characterize only the second known minimoon of Earth, a newly discovered asteroid with the designation 2020 CD3, or CD3 for short. The LDT observations helped to clarify both the rotation rate and the orbit of … [Read more...] about Lowell Scientists Help Characterize a Second Known Minimoon
Lowell Observatory: Illuminating Ideas About the Dark
Jeff Hall stepped outside around 9:30 p.m., after attending a talk in Los Angeles a few years ago. As one would expect of an astronomer and the director of Lowell Observatory, his eyes went to the heavens. “The faintest thing I could see were the three bright stars in Orion’s Belt. You could maybe … [Read more...] about Lowell Observatory: Illuminating Ideas About the Dark
Lowell Observatory Commences a Science-Based COVID-19 Reopening Plan in Alignment with CDC Guidelines
Employing a cautious and scientifically rigorous approach, Lowell Observatory is implementing a COVID-19 reopening plan that is aligned to the gating criteria established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The phased reopening plan’s alignment with CDC guidelines places staff, … [Read more...] about Lowell Observatory Commences a Science-Based COVID-19 Reopening Plan in Alignment with CDC Guidelines
Dark Skies on the Rise
Dark skies are on the rise, as travelers across the planet seek out places where they can get clear views of the stars. So say the travel experts at Lonely Planet who have named dark skies a continuing travel trend. As the world’s first International Dark Sky Community, Flagstaff and others in … [Read more...] about Dark Skies on the Rise
Sending Love to Pluto
February marks the 90th anniversary of Pluto’s discovery right here in Northern Arizona. To celebrate, Lowell Observatory is partnering with other local organizations in hosting a two-day “I Heart Pluto Festival,” set for Feb. 15 and 18. Highlights of the event include a presentation by Alan Stern, … [Read more...] about Sending Love to Pluto
World-Standard Astronomy Education Vision Coming into Focus
Observatory has received a $14.5 million grant to build the Astronomy Discovery Center (ADC), a new visitor facility that will accommodate the observatory’s ever-increasing number of guests while offering a state-of-the-art visitor experience. The funding comes on the heels of record visitation to … [Read more...] about World-Standard Astronomy Education Vision Coming into Focus
Celebrating 125 Years of Stargazing
It is the place where Pluto was discovered, but began out of an obsessive interest in Mars. On May 28, 1894, Percival Lowell arrived in Flagstaff, Arizona Territory, to commence astronomical studies. This marked the official opening of Lowell Observatory, the first scientific establishment in … [Read more...] about Celebrating 125 Years of Stargazing
