Stargazing & Natural Night Skies in the Owyhee: Zodiac Constellations

You might know your astrology sign, but chances are the sun was not actually in your sign on your birthday. In this presentation, we will cover some of the commonly misunderstood aspects of the Zodiac. The constellations Scorpius and Sagittarius are shining examples in the southern sky, so we will also spend time understanding their shape and individual stars.

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Friends of the Owyhee and the Oregon Outback Dark Sky Network has teamed up with the Ontario Community Library (Ontario, OR), Harney County Library (Burns, OR), Vale Library (Vale, OR), and McDermitt Library (McDermitt, NV) to present a free online class that will teach you the basics of stargazing, how to find cool constellations, and why natural night skies are so important.

Stargazing is a fun, all-ages, and life-long activity. It's even more incredible when you live in a spectacularly dark place like the Owyhee! The Owyhee is a bioregion in eastern Oregon, western Idaho, and northern Nevada of the USA. It's known for its rugged remote desert landscape, solitude, incredible geologic history, and night skies that are perfect for stargazing. It's one of the best places in the nation to see the stars!

In this 1-hour presentation, Sammy Castonguay (Treasure Valley Community College Astronomy Instructor, Friends of the Owyhee Program Director) will give an introduction to natural night skies with some basic stargazing tips. Then, he'll go into how to find some more specific constellations and the stories behind them.

Bring a notebook for notes, and then go outside to practice after the event!

All ages and experience levels are welcome. You must register to receive the Google Hangouts link.