We visit Tonto National Monument where the cliff-dwelling Salado people thrived in the desert and enjoyed an exceptional connection with the night sky. Learn how they used the Milky Way to navigate at night. Today the monument is a certified International Dark Sky Park. Find out what they mean by “half the park is after dark”.

LINKS IN THIS EPISODE

Tonto National Monument: https://www.nps.gov/tont/index.htm 

Night Sky Tourist article “Tonto National Monument”: https://nightskytourist.com/tonto-national-monument/ 

International Dark Sky Association’s Announcement of Tonto National Monument’s Dark Sky designation: https://www.darksky.org/tonto-national-monument-designated-as-international-dark-sky-park/ 

Weather balloon. Looking north of Fountain Hills on June 10, 2021. ©2021 Vicky Derksen

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