Lowell Observatory Presentation on May 23rd
The Santa Fe Conservation Trust invites you to an extraordinary night of astronomy featuring two special guests from the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona
Gerard van Belle and Victor Garcia
Friday, May 23, 2014
7:00 p.m.
Driscoll Auditorium
Photo courtesy of Lowell Observatory
Santa Fe Prep campus
1101 Camino de Cruz Blanca
Santa Fe, NM 87505
Join us for an exciting and informative presentation about the specific work they are pursuing, developing the new VISION camera for the Navy Precision Optical Interferometer. Hear about all the new programs and current research happening at the Lowell Observatory. Learn about the Discovery Channel Telescope – a 4.3 meter (170 inch) telescope that rises seven stories above the top of the Happy Jack cinder cone southeast of Flagstaff. Lowell Observatory and Discovery Communications built this $53 million facility to push the frontier of knowledge, enabling the Lowell astronomers to answer fundamental questions about the universe – for example, how our solar system formed and how dwarf galaxies evolve.
FOLLOWING THE PRESENTATION,
JOIN US FOR STARGAZING WITH THE CAPITAL CITY ASTRONOMY CLUB!
NOTE: If you are bringing a group or coming from outside Santa Fe or the immediate area, please call the Santa Fe Conservation Trust Office at 989-7019. We will do our best to accommodate you!
Dale Ball Day is March 7, 2014.
Dale Ball Trails Work Party, March 2013
Join the Santa Fe Conservation Trust, the City of Santa Fe, and Santa Fe County as we celebrate the legacy of Dale Ball at – where else? – Dale Ball Trails. Meet us at 1 pm at the “corral,” also known as the Sierra del Norte trailhead, just off of Hyde Park Rd. on Sierra del Norte. After we share some reflections on the wonderful open space and trails that Dale Ball worked to preserve and build, we will hit the trails in a variety of ways:
- Guided Hike, by the Trails Alliance of Santa Fe
- Guided Mountain Bike Ride(s), by Santa Fe Fat Tire Society (trail conditions permitting)
- Trail Maintenance activity: See the work of volunteers from the Santa Fe Fat Tire Society, the Trails Alliance of Santa Fe, the Master’s Program, and Santa Fe County and learn how you can become a trail volunteer.
Activities will last until 3 pm or so. Refreshments and snacks will be provided.
Dale Ball Day was first proclaimed by the New Mexico State Legislature for March 7, 2013 (see link below). This is our first chance to organize a gathering to recognize the day. We have invited Dale and Sylvia Ball as well as Councilor Patti Bushee, who chairs the City’s Bicycle and Trails Advisory Committee.
We are also celebrating the initiation of activities under our new contract with the City of Santa Fe to provide volunteer coordination and related services focusing on the City’s network of natural-surface trails. For more information, contact our new Trails Program Manager, Tim Rogers, at or (505) 989-7019.
NM Legislative Memorial Proclaiming Dale Ball Day, March 7, 2013
Dale Ball Day 2014 Flyer PDF
SFCT welcomes “The End of Night” author Paul Bogard
Where: Driscoll Auditorium at Santa Fe Prep
When: Tuesday, November 19th at 7PM
RSVP to:
The Santa Fe Conservation Trust welcomes Paul Bogard author of “The End Of Night: Searching For Natural Darkness In An Age Of Artificial Light” (Little Brown, July 2013), as he makes a stop in Santa Fe during his national book tour. Mr. Bogard will share highlights of his journey across continents to experience some of the darkest and brightest places on the planet. Having spoken with lighting designers, educators, park rangers, scientists and many others, Paul weaves together insights about how the nighttime environment is being lost to the excessive use of artificial lighting and what we can do about it. The program will also look at ecological consequences and the threat to human health caused by a lack of natural darkness.
Paul Bogard has recently appeared as a guest on All Things Considered, The Diane Rehm Show and a variety of local programs nationwide. He has contributed to a number of publications including National Geographic and Salon.com. “The End of Night” has garnered favorable reviews from The Boston Globe, Nature, The Wall Street Journal and The London Times.
From Little Brown:
A starry night is one of nature’s most magical wonders. Yet in our artificially lit world, three-quarters of Americans’ eyes never switch to night vision and most of us no longer experience true darkness. In “THE END OF NIGHT,” Paul Bogard restores our awareness of the spectacularly primal, wildly dark night sky and how it has influenced the human experience across everything from science to art.
From Las Vegas’ Luxor Beam—the brightest single spot on this planet—to nights so starlit the sky looks like snow, Bogard blends personal narrative, natural history, science, and history to shed light on the importance of darkness—what we’ve lost, what we still have, and what we might regain—and the simple ways we can reduce the brightness of our nights tonight.
Following Mr. Bogard’s talk copies of the book will available for purchase priced at $27.00 each cash or check accepted. Weather permitting, telescopes will be set-up outside for informal stargazing.
This is a free event. However, space is limited, so if you would like to attend, RSVP to:
Find Driscoll Auditorium on the Santa Fe Prep campus map
Commonweal’s 10th Anniversary Star Party Gala!
dinner • music • telescopes
Saturday, October 12 | 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Please join Commonweal Conservancy, the Santa Fe Conservation Trust and the Capital City Astronomy Club to celebrate Commonweal’s 10th Anniversary.
- Feast on a delicious New Mexican buffet supper provided by the award-winning Cowgirl Hall of Fame.
- As the sun sets over the ridge line of the Preserve, dance to the live bluegrass music of Kitty Jo Creek Band.
- As twilight gathers (around 6:45 pm) astronomer Peter Lipscomb will guide us on a tour of the night sky. Members of the Capital City Astronomy Club will be on hand with their telescopes to share the wonders of the visible cosmos.
Details
Location: Galisteo Basin Preserve | Cowboy Shack Trailhead.
Food: A New Mexican buffet supper of chicken and vegetarian enchiladas, mixed green salad, jalapeno cornbread, dessert and drinks will be provided.
Terrain: The dinner, music and star gazing will take place in a grassy meadow on uneven ground.
Bring: Sturdy shoes, appropriate layers of clothing to take you into a chilly evening, flashlight, picnic blanket and/or camp chairs.
RSVP: Please RSVP by Friday, October 4th by calling Gretchen Grogan at 505.982.0071, ext 106 or emailing her at . Please title your email message: RSVP to Star Gazing Party.
Tickets: Tickets are $35 per adult and $15 per child (under age 16). A web link for ticket purchases will be sent concurrently with your reservation’s confirmation.
To learn about the Santa Fe Conservation Trust, visit www.sfct.org.
You can always check in on the GBP at www.GalisteoBasinPreserve.com.