Virtually Contemplate the Grand Canyon All Week
Although in this month we had more opportunities to see the world, than usual, it is not the same thing as to look up and see the sky full of stars . But this week, thanks to the Grand Canyon National Park , you can attend their annual Star Party, which runs online until June 20th. Here’s what you need to know.
From June 13 to June 20, 2020, the Grand Canyon National Park hosts a weeklong virtual event showcasing their amazing night sky. Usually their annual Star Party is held in person, but thanks to COVID-19, it, like many other events, has moved online. And while that could be a bummer for those looking to attend the party live on-site, it’s also nice that everyone else has a chance to see this natural wonder.
The Grand Canyon National Park will be releasing two videos each night. The first is a guest speaker who makes a presentation on a space-related topic. Then, for the second video, astronomers connect video cameras to telescopes and identify 10-12 celestial objects that can be watched and discussed for 60-90 minutes.
If you missed the first few days of the event, don’t worry – all previous videos are streamed on the park’s Facebook page . But there is something special about the live broadcast. Not only will you find out that you are looking at the same sky as those who are also tuning in, but astronomers will also develop astrophotographs of galaxies, nebulae, globular clusters, asterisms and more in real time right before your eyes. In addition, both guest speakers and astronomers will participate in a live chat to answer questions from viewers.
Here’s a complete schedule of this week’s events , including links to each video and bios of speakers and astronomers.