Apache Point Observatory, Sacramento Mountains, New Mexico

Apache Point Observatory, Sacramento Mountains, New Mexico

I got the idea from the NSO tour guide that the astronomists at nearby Apache Point Observatory, also on Sacramento Peak, have a rather good sense of humor. Alas, Apache Point Observatory only offers two public tours per year, and I've missed both opportunities.

But I walked around the grounds.  

Apache Point Observatory, Sacramento Mountains, New Mexico

Not only do the astronomers have a good view, presumably, of the skies, they've got a kick-ass view of the mountainside and the Tularosa Basin off into the distance.

Apache Point Observatory, Sacramento Mountains, New Mexico

   

Rodeo, New Mexico

Rodeo, New Mexico

Getting to Rodeo

The day after I went to Rodeo, New Mexico, I ran into a gentleman who claimed Rodeo is known to have the darkest skies in New Mexico. If so, that's saying a lot, because there are a lot of places in New Mexico with dark skies.

It is in an area that attracts birds - and birders.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. From my weekend base in Lordsburg, I zigged west on I-10, then zagged south on Highway 338, hung a right onto Highway 145, then a left onto 80. On Highway 80, I drove through a scenic mountain pass.


I liked seeing another range of mountains in the distance, which had snow cover.

A few miles outside of Rodeo, I passed a curious RV park. It looked well-kempt, it had a goodly number of inhabitants in what appeared to be nice rigs, and yet it was disconcerting to see this settlement out in the sun with no nearby signs of points of interest. Rusty's RV Park, for that's its name, supports the claim of the gentleman I mentioned earlier, its website noting that people come here to look at the night sky.

There was also this, further along the road.

Rodeo

Chiricahua Museum, Rodeo, New Mexico

About two miles north of Rodeo is the Chiricahua Desert Museum. A classy place in the middle of nowhere. A well-appointed gift shop with lots of nice t-shirts, tons of books about the flora and fauna of the neighborhood, jewelry, and other stuff. The museum has two parts. One holds the living snake exhibits, mostly various flavors of rattlesnake, along with some other types of snakes, some lizards, and turtles. The other part I found more interesting, which I'd call a multi-disciplined homage to snakes and turtles through skins, skeletons, artwork, and commercial products that incorporate snakes and turtles.

Chiricahua Museum, Rodeo, New Mexico

Rodeo itself seemed a little down and out, but as is so often the case, down and out has its own beauty. 

Rodeo, New Mexico

Rodeo, New Mexico

Rodeo, New Mexico

Rodeo, New Mexico

Third Street, Rodeo, New Mexico

 I love this shot of Third Street. With a stop sign, no less.

All of the Rodeo pics:

#30

New Mexico: "Dark Skies"

Moon over Oliver Lee Memorial State Park, Alamogordo, New Mexico

Introduction

Dark Skies ... sounds ominous, especially for New Mexico, famous for its sunrises, sunsets, and bowls of stars. 

If you google on "dark skies," the first thing that comes up is info on a past sci-fi, UFO-conspiracy theory TV series.

But "dark skies" also refers to a movement to prevent and reduce light pollution so we can enjoy the starry nights, no matter where we are.

I was aware of the concern about light pollution and some strategies to mitigate it, but I was unfamiliar with the term "dark skies" until I went to the astronomy event at Oliver Lee Memorial State Park earlier this month, hosted by Alamogordo's Amateur Astronomers Group.


Luminary attack

Before I go on, I'd like to tell the story of a luminary attack, permitted by, I can only assume: ignorance, negligent regard for one's neighbors, and lack of quality-of-life zoning.

I used to live in Jefferson City, Missouri, which is right on the Missouri River. On one side of the river, the city perches, for the most part, on a high bluff. On the other side of the river is a large flood plain, intersected by two highways, 54 and 63, that merge for a time as they cross the river into the city. The city airport is in the flood plain. The Katy Trail is also there, on the far fringe of the plain, along with a scattering of houses that have been there for many years. There is also a new-ish soccer-field complex. And there are farm fields. And a town that used to hug the river, but was mostly drowned in the Great Flood of 1993.  And a golf driving range.    

I lived on a street in Jefferson City that described a circle, part of which was on one of the bluffs overlooking the river and the flood plain. 

It used to be you could look out onto the plain and see a beautiful night sky. Or walk the Katy Trail at dusk, enjoying how the light dimmed as night fell.

After the Turkey Creek Golf Center went in, though, it was as if part of the plain had been taken over by land-grabbers who flooded the conquered territory with prison klieg lights. I think I first noticed it when I was walking or driving in the plain itself, and I saw that a house on the east side of the Katy Trail was bombarded by these lights. I use the word "bombard" deliberately. It must be akin to a psychological torture to be attacked by this remorseless light every night, with no escape. If I were the victim of such an assault, I think it would drive me mad.

Credit: Florida Atlantic University Astronomical Observatory

A crazy thing is that these business owners who invade their neighbors' houses and yards with impunity are paying for all of the wasted light that isn't shining on their driving range. This is called "unshielded" light.
 
There is lighting ("shielded") out there that would permit business users to enjoy their golfing activities without making neighbors' lives miserable. (I can only wonder about wildlife that had to relocate their lairs and nests to avoid the light.)

Credit: Grist

Back to Alamogordo

At the event, I mentioned to the astronomy group how lucky I felt to live in a city where I could see so many stars at night. I'd chalked it up to Alamogordo's low-rise profile and, other than that, hadn't put much thought into it.

One of the astronomy group members explained that this was no happy accident. Alamogordo promulgated the first (one of the first?) "light pollution" ordinances in the U.S. in 1990. This was in response to pressure from the nearby Apache Point Observatory outside Cloudcroft. (Flagstaff, AZ, is proud of its honor as the world's first "international dark skies city" in 2001.)

Credit: Flagstaff Dark Skies Coalition

Since 1990, when Alamogordo passed its dark-skies ordinance, new technology (e.g. LED lighting) has rendered it outdated. Also, the folks at nearby Holleman Air Force Base have not seen fit to respect dark skies.

The Amateur Astronomers Group of Alamogordo has a reader-friendly explanation of light pollution and its effects here. (Interestingly, Alamogordo, despite its relatively small population of 30k, has two astronomy clubs. The other is the Alamogordo Astronomy Club.)

New Mexico

With its historic, scientific, and touristic relationship to space, New Mexico has a reputational and financial stake in dark skies.

Chaco Observatory, Chaco Canyon, New Mexico. Credit: NPS

Travel & Leisure counted New Mexico among the Top 10 Stargazing Spots in the World in 2008, specifically mentioning New Mexico Skies, a private observatory complex near Cloudcroft, in the Sacramento Mountains.  (New Mexico Skies is in the process of creating an astronomers' community, selling 2-acre lots for home-building.)

Whirlpool Galaxy, photo taken at New Mexican Skies. Credit: New Mexico Southern Skies

About.com has a series on "dark sky astronomy" travel with a detailed article on New Mexico's dark-sky destinations.

New Mexico's Night Sky Protection Act has been on the books since 1999, but it had no enforcement teeth and it exempted one of the biggest light monsters, athletic fields. In 2009, the legislature tightened the law up and gave it more bite. In the meantime, some communities in New Mexico have created laws more restrictive than the state law to protect "dark skies." 

(Note: Missouri  has no statewide light pollution law.)




International perspective

International Dark Skies is based on Tucson, Arizona. Too bad the videos on its site tend toward the pedantic and preachy. But this one isn't bad, made by the "Dark Ranger:"

I'm very lucky, I think. I can step outside my door in Alamogordo and see quite a few stars. My place is on the very east side of town, up against the Sacramento Mountains, and there are no lights on the mountain faces.

The World Doth Revolve Around New Mexico

Pluto. Credit: NASA.

... and as such, New Mexico did decree Pluto a planet in 2007.

In case you missed the news from a few years back, a scientific brouhaha broke out over whether or not Pluto really was a planet, and at the end of the day, Pluto was demoted.

This was New Mexico's response:   

HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 54
48th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2007
INTRODUCED BY
Joni Marie Gutierrez
A JOINT MEMORIAL
DECLARING PLUTO A PLANET AND DECLARING MARCH 13, 2007, "PLUTO PLANET DAY" AT THE LEGISLATURE.

WHEREAS, the state of New Mexico is a global center for astronomy, astrophysics and planetary science; and WHEREAS, New Mexico is home to world class astronomical observing facilities, such as the Apache Point observatory, the very large array, the Magdalena Ridge observatory and the national solar observatory; and
WHEREAS, Apache Point observatory, operated by New Mexico state university, houses the astrophysical research consortium's three-and-one-half meter telescope, as well as the unique two-and-one-half meter diameter Sloan digital sky survey telescope; and
WHEREAS, New Mexico state university has the state's only independent, doctorate-granting astronomy department; and
WHEREAS, New Mexico state university and Dona Ana county were the longtime home of Clyde Tombaugh, discoverer of Pluto; and
WHEREAS, Pluto has been recognized as a planet for seventy-five years; and
WHEREAS, Pluto's average orbit is three billion six hundred ninety-five million nine hundred fifty thousand miles from the sun, and its diameter is approximately one thousand four hundred twenty-one miles; and
WHEREAS, Pluto has three moons known as Charon, Nix and Hydra; and
WHEREAS, a spacecraft called new horizons was launched in January 2006 to explore Pluto in the year 2015;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that, as Pluto passes overhead through New Mexico's excellent night skies, it be declared a planet and that March 13, 2007 be declared "Pluto Planet Day" at the legislature. 

I learned this astonishing factoid at an event at Oliver Lee Memorial State Park, facilitated by the Amateur Astronomers Group of Alamogordo. I learned more stuff, too, which I will share soon, but for now, I am just laughing too much.

It's almost as good as Missouri wanting to make it illegal for educators to use the terms BCE and CE instead of BC and AD. Did that proposal ever pass? I don't know. Sometimes I just don't want to know these things.