Western Slope Skies

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  • ASTRONOMY
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A bi-weekly short feature on astronomy, produced by members of the Black Canyon Astronomical Society.Link for podcast apps:https://www.kvnf.org/podcast/western-slope-skies/rss.xml

  1. 4D AGO

    Western Slope Skies - AstroFest 2025

    The Black Canyon of the Gunnison earned its name from the limited light that reaches its deepest corners during the day. At night, little artificial light, too, intrudes upon its skies, making the canyon a prime location for viewing the celestial wonders above. The annual astronomy festival AstroFest returns again this month to celebrate such sights as well as the Western Slope's precious access to these natural skies.

    4 min

  2. AUG 29

    Western Slope Skies - A Coronal Hole isn’t Really a Hole

    When is a hole not really a hole…when it is a solar coronal hole!

    3 min

  3. AUG 1

    Western Slope Skies - Ocean Tides

    The sun is shining, the sand feels warm beneath your toes, and you're watching the waves crash over one another. They rise to where you are standing, rushing over your feet and then fall back down. A few hours later, you come back to the same spot- and this time, the waves fall short of reaching you. You pause and start to wonder why... and then, you look up at the sky and spot the moon. There's your answer.

    3 min

  4. JUL 4

    Western Slope Skies - The Legacy of Vera Rubin

    You may have seen the recently released ‘first images’ from the Vera Rubin Observatory in Chile. The images are stunning and portend a new level of scientific data expanding our knowledge of the Universe. However, what do you know about Vera Rubin?

    4 min

  5. JUN 20

    Western Slope Skies - Real Exoplanets of Star Wars

    For those who have seen Star Wars, even those who may not be huge fans, there are some planets that stick out in the films. Tatooine, the sand planet, home to Anakin and Luke Skywalker, Hoth, the ice planet from The Empire Strikes Back, and Naboo, Queen Amidala’s home planet. Though these planets are in a galaxy far, far away, there are some real planets that resemble those featured in Star Wars, in our own Milky Way galaxy!

    4 min

  6. JUN 6

    Western Slope Skies - Archeoastronomy

    Archeoastronomy is the study of how ancient civilizations understood celestial phenomena. They integrated this understanding into cultural and religious frameworks. Some famous archeoastronomy sites are in the Egyptian pyramids and on Easter island. Mythological texts, ritual calendars, and religious ceremonies synchronized with planetary movements. Some examples are the Sun Temple in Mesa Verde, and the complexes at Chaco Canyon near Aztec, New Mexico.

    4 min

  7. MAY 23

    Western Slope Skies - Aurora

    Have you ever looked up and witnessed spectacular displays of green, white, pink and yellow lights? If you have ever visited the polar regions, or the auroral oval on Earth; then your response most likely should be a yes. The official names for these extraordinary lights are called aurora borealis, for the Northern hemisphere; and aurora australis, for the southern hemisphere.

    3 min

  8. MAY 9

    Western Slope Skies - Double and Multiple Stars

    The Sun is the star at the center of our Solar System. The Sun governs our daily lives, and energy from the Sun has been essential for nearly all life on Earth for more than 3 billion years. But what if there were two, three, four, five, or even six Suns in our sky? That question might seem ridiculous, but it turns out that more than half of the stars in our galaxy are either in double star or multiple star systems that are held together by gravity.

    3 min
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A bi-weekly short feature on astronomy, produced by members of the Black Canyon Astronomical Society.Link for podcast apps:https://www.kvnf.org/podcast/western-slope-skies/rss.xml

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