Night Sky Tourist Blog
Syncing with Earth’s Rhythms Part 1: Day and Night
In this three-part series, we dive into Earth’s various rhythms and how they impact our lives. Most people live busy, always-on lives with habits that disconnect them from those rhythms. That disconnect impacts our health and well-being in numerous ways. Sunrise....
July 2021 New Moon
July 9 marks the next New Moon of 2021. Night Sky Tourist has claimed 2021 as our Year of the Moon and we plan to learn all about our nearest celestial neighbor. Here are the Moon phases for July: July 1: Third Quarter July 9: New Moon July 17: First Quarter July 23:...
7 Constellations You Should Learn this Summer
The best way to learn the constellations is to learn a few at a time each season. Once you identify these seven, you’ll easily spot them again next summer and then you can add a few more each year. Make time to do some stargazing at least a couple of times a week. Try...
Nighttime Pollinators and Light Pollution
I am working on my certification as a Master Gardener with the University of Arizona Master Gardener Program. I was asked to contribute an article for their monthly Roots & Shoots magazine, so I decided to combine my gardening hobby with my love for the night sky....
June 2021 New Moon
June 10 marks the next New Moon of 2021. Night Sky Tourist has claimed 2021 as our Year of the Moon and we plan to learn all about our nearest celestial neighbor. Here are the Moon phases for June: June 2: Third Quarter June 10: New Moon June 17: First Quarter June...
Moon Milk Magic?
The first time I heard about Moon Milk was during a late-night scrolling session through Pinterest. I was likely searching for things related to astronomy or the Moon, and Moon Milk popped up in my search. I wondered, “What the heck is Moon Milk?” I have a curious...
Super Blood Moon 2021
The Full Moon this month holds a surprise for stargazers and Moon lovers. Astronomers call it a Super Blood Moon. It may sound creepy, but it will be beautiful! WHAT IS A SUPER BLOOD MOON? On May 26, 2021, we will have a Full Moon. But not just any Full Moon...a...
May 2021 New Moon
May 11 marks the next New Moon of 2021. Night Sky Tourist has claimed 2021 as our Year of the Moon and we plan to learn all about our nearest celestial neighbor. Here is what is coming from the New Moon in May through the New Moon in June: May 11: New Moon May 19:...
Earth Day for the Night Sky
On December 24, 1968, William Anders peered through his camera aboard the Apollo 8 lunar orbiter and took one of the most famous images of all time. As the orbiter made its way across the surface of the moon, the astronauts watched Earth rise above the horizon. Anders...
Finding the Date for Easter
Most of our favorite holidays fall on a specific calendar date each year. Easter, however, is moveable feast, which means that its date shifts across the Spring calendar according to an ancient formula. THE CRUCIFIXION DATE 16th century fresco depicting the Council of...
April New Moon 2021
April 11 marks the next New Moon of 2021. Night Sky Tourist has claimed 2021 as our Year of the Moon and we plan to learn all about our nearest celestial neighbor. Here is what is coming from the New Moon in April through the New Moon in May: April 11: New Moon April...
Casa Grande: A Mysterious Astronomical Structure in the Desert
Although I have visited numerous historical places around the world, I felt something different when I visited Casa Grande Ruins in Coolidge, Arizona. I have lived in the Sonoran Desert for over two decades now, and I know the extreme heat of summer, the wildness of a...
Hoover Dam’s Astronomical Site
I recently visited Hoover Dam at the border of Nevada and Arizona and discovered an astronomical site! It is a beautiful example of modern-day archaeoastronomy. I visited Hoover Dam about fourteen years ago but never noticed this remarkable work of human imagination...
Children Need to Sleep in the Dark for Good Health
If you are a parent, you know how difficult it is to get a toddler to go to bed at night. They resist bedtime and have difficulty falling to sleep. For your part, you are probably exhausted and feel desperate to have them fall asleep at a decent time so you can get...
March New Moon 2021
March 13 marks the next New Moon of 2021. Night Sky Tourist has claimed 2021 as our Year of the Moon and we plan to learn all about our nearest celestial neighbor. Here is what is coming from the New Moon in March through the New Moon in April: March 13: New Moon...
Black History Month: Diversity in Astronomy
Astronomy is one of the world’s oldest natural sciences. Nearly all of the early civilizations in recorded history were deeply connected to the night sky. They made methodical observations of the transit of the Sun, Moon, and stars and many of them recorded them in...
February New Moon 2021
February 11th marks the next New Moon of 2021. Night Sky Tourist has claimed 2021 as our Year of the Moon and we plan to learn all about our nearest celestial neighbor. Here is what is coming from the New Moon in February through the New Moon in March February 11: New...
Tonto National Monument: International Dark Sky Park
On May 7, 2019, Tonto National Monument in Arizona was designated an International Dark Sky Park. On January 25, 2020, before the pandemic, I had the wonderful opportunity to participate in their Dark Sky Designation Celebration and share about Night Sky Tourist with...
A Year of the Moon in 2021
Here on the Night Sky Tourist website as well as the Night Sky Tourist podcast, we are claiming 2021 as our Year of the Moon. After the Sun, nothing plays as big of a role in our cosmic awareness as the Moon. Whether it serves us on a romantic evening or is a...
January New Moon 2021
January 13th marks the first New Moon of 2021. Night Sky Tourist has claimed 2021 as our Year of the Moon and we plan to learn all about our nearest celestial neighbor. Here is what is coming from the New Moon in January through the New Moon in February. January 13:...