4June2016

What Happened

According to US Forest Service data 97 vehicles with an estimated 194 visitors entered the Cosmic Campground June 3-5, 2016.

Entrance to the Cosmic Campground. 

Banner Sign courtesy of Annie and Al Grauer mounted with

Pat Morrison's efforts and hardware. 

International Dark Sky Association representative 

Pete  Strasser describes the attributes of the Cosmic Campground International Dark Sky to those participants who could be pried away from setting up their telescopes.

Left to right: District Ranger Anne Casey, 

Retired District Ranger Pat Morrison, and

Annie Grauer with the IDA  Cosmic Campground International Dark Sky Sanctuary Award 

NPR reporter Monica Ortiz interviews participants .

The Milky Way was fabulous.

The Images were obtained by David Thornburg

Support Statements

Martin Heinrich United States Senator

Tom Udall United States Senator

Don Tripp Speaker NM House of Representatives

Anita Hand Catron County Commissioner

Good evening to all.

Welcome to Catron County. It has been said that Catron County is a preview of heaven and what a better way to preview heaven than to observe and appreciate the night skies.

Please accept my regrets for not being able to be here personally as I know tonight will be an eventful one. Enjoy the skies, tell your friends, tell your neighbors and while you’re here take some time to visit the whole County - have a lot to offer from dark skies, to world renowned rock climbing to famous pies and green chile cheeseburger and juicy steaks.

Plato’s older brother once said “For every one, as I think, must see that astronomy compels the soul to look upwards and leads us from this world to another.”

Enjoy the skies.

Anita A Hand

District 1 Commissioner

Announcement and Information on What to Bring

Events June 4, 2016

Cosmic Campground International Dark Sky Sanctuary

6 PM Meet and Greet

1) Table with name tags and sign up sheets

2) Materials to provide a red filter for your flashlight will be provided

(Please use 2 or three layers of the red film.)

6:30 PM Introductions, Short Speeches

1) "Village meeting " What it takes to build a campground

2) Set up Telescopes .. get a chance to see them in the daylight

3) Make free star wheels {bring a scissors if you can .. not required]

It will help you to identify some bright stars.

Take it home with you.

Hopefully the Sky Will Be Clear or Provide Us with Holes in the Clouds.

8:20 PM View Sunset

8:50 PM Watch the stars come out.

(Be aware as your eyes dark adapt)

9:00 PM View Jupiter

Watch Saturn and Mars to rise in southeast

10:00 – 10:30 PM Green Laser pointer tour of the natural night sky

Learn to use your star wheel to identify objects in the sky

Milky Way rises over the Gila Wilderness

Additional Information on cosmiccampground.org

Star Maps for June 4, 2016

Image Credit:  In-The-Sky.org by Dominic Ford

Image Credit:  In-The-Sky.org by Dominic Ford