Monday, November 9
7–9:30 pm
7 pm: Come to the Dark Side: Protecting Your Starry Night Sky
Dr. Connie Walker | Scientist at NSF’s NOIRLab and Director of Globe at Night
Dr. Walker will kick off our Statewide Star Party by discussing the citizen science project Globe at Night, the importance of protecting our night skies, how it can be done, and our individual contributions to ending light pollution.
Dr. Connie Walker has worked for 14 years regionally, nationally, and internationally on light pollution issues. Interest began 14 years ago as a joint project of students in Tucson, Arizona, and La Serena, Chile, which became the monthly international citizen science campaign Globe at Night today. Along the way, Connie has been on the board of directors for the International Dark-Sky Association for six years. She is currently the president of the International Astronomical Union’s Commission on Observatory Site Protection (e.g., light pollution issues). She is also currently co-hosting several workshops/sessions/conferences on the hot topic of the impact of satellite constellations on astronomy—a new type of light pollution. Cool fact: She has an asteroid discovered and named by Carolyn Shoemaker and David Levy (discoverers of Shoemaker-Levy 9 that smashed into Jupiter). They named asteroid 29292 connie_walker for her contributions to outreach in astronomy. She has a wonderful husband, daughter, son and cat who all tolerate her interests in the dark side of astronomy.
8 pm: Launch of Globe at Night, A Citizen Science Project, for Minnesota.
In an attempt to set a record number of submissions for Minnesota, tune in to learn more about how you can participate in the Globe at Night citizen science project, joining others in collecting and submitting important data from all across the state!
8:30 pm: Live Telescope Observing from the Bell Museum Observation Deck
Grab your star map, sit back, and enjoy a tour of the night sky—live! Virtual star parties, happening every night this week, will allow you to see the wonders of the night sky from telescopes directly broadcasted to your screens. Our team and partners around the state will take you on a tour of the night sky and show you celestial objects from our solar system and beyond!
Tuesday, November 10
7–10 pm
7 pm: The National Park Service Night Skies Program: Working to Preserve and Restore a Universal Resource
Bob Meadows | Physical scientist at the National Park Service
Scientists at the National Park Service study light and sound pollution in our country’s most remote and wild places. What can we learn from their research on how to preserve the night sky?
Bob Meadows is a physical scientist with the National Park Service, Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division (NSNSD). His current responsibilities include managing the 19 years of sky quality data from more than 125 park units, conducting measurements and assessing sky quality in the field, and working with parks to evaluate their lighting for efficiency and ecological impacts to the nighttime environment. Bob also works with other partners in the scientific community in collaborative efforts to further our mutual goals of restoration and preservation of our night skies. Bob holds a bachelor’s degree in geography from California State University, Chico. He has worked in the Night Skies Program since 2011. Prior to that his professional experience included almost 25 years working in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park. He was a wilderness ranger for eight years before moving into the division of resources management and science, working in forestry, GIS, restoration, invasive plant management, fire ecology and meadow management.
8 pm: Becoming a Dark Sky Region: A Conversation with Partnerships Up North
Trevor Gibb | Superintendent of Quetico Provincial Park
Ann Schwaller | Forest program manager for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
Bob DeGross | Superintendent of Voyageurs National Park
Adam Dalton | Dark Sky Places manager at the International Dark Sky Association
Four public lands are in the process of applying for Dark Sky Place status from the International Dark Sky Association: Voyageurs National Park, Quetico Provincial Park, Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and La Verendrye Provincial Park. Join us in this moderated discussion with land managers from each region to learn more about the application process of becoming a Dark Sky Place and what that means.
Trevor Gibb is the superintendent of Quetico Provincial Park. He has held positions as the assistant superintendent of 29 parks in Northeastern Ontario including Polar Bear Provincial Park, and backcountry warden at Killarney Provincial Park. He has also lived in the Canadian Arctic as a high school teacher. In his spare time it is not uncommon to find him bobbing around Quetico in his old canoe.
Bob DeGross started as superintendent of Voyageurs National Park in late December 2016. He has worked with the National Park Service since 1989 in a variety of park units across the country. He is dedicated to the mission of the National Park Service, preserving and protecting the special places the agency is entrusted to care for, while also ensuring the public has the opportunity to enjoy and connect to those special places. Bob has always had a deep connection to the northern woods of the midwest, growing up reading authors such as Sigurd Olson and Aldo Leopold. Bob finds it a privilege to work at Voyageurs National Park, a place where people like Olson and many others worked diligently to protect for all to enjoy.
Ann Schwaller is currently the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness program manager on the Superior National Forest in Duluth. Ann has worked in parks and wilderness areas in Washington, Colorado, Montana, Idaho, Arizona, and Florida. Her jobs with these organizations included wilderness ranger, trail crew, firefighter, visitor center manager, and wilderness & recreation planner. Life before the government included freelance photographer for the Palm Beach Post, Miami Herald, University of Florida and Florida State Parks. Ann grew up on the wild and scenic Loxahatchee River in southeast Florida where most weekends were spent on the river, in the woods, or in the ocean. Ann spends her free time traveling, hiking the Superior Trail, kayaking Lake Superior and of course paddling in the Boundary Waters and Voyageurs National Park.
Adam Dalton: An Iowa native, Adam’s passion and awe of the night sky fully developed following his move to the Intermountain-West in 2016. A recent graduate of the University of Utah’s Master of City and Metropolitan Planning Program, he specialized in ecological planning and interdisciplinary sustainability. While at Utah, he worked closely with the university’s Consortium for Dark-Sky Studies to conduct comprehensive dark-sky lighting inventories for various municipalities. His main professional goal is facilitation of inclusive social justice through environmental justice. When not at work, Adam is an avid runner, outdoorsman, Minnesota professional sports fan, and the lead singer/guitarist of a punk rock band.
9 pm: Live Telescope Observing: Guest Host Mark Job
Mark Job | Member at the Minnesota Astronomical Society
Grab your star map, sit back, and enjoy a tour of the night sky – live! Virtual star parties, happening every night this week, will allow you to see the wonders of the night sky from telescopes directly broadcasted to your screens. Our team and partners around the state will take you on a tour of the night sky and show you celestial objects from our solar system and beyond!
Wednesday, November 11
7–10 pm
7 pm: In Search of Minnesota’s Dark Skies
Dr. Mike Shaw | Resident artist at the Bell Museum
Most Minnesotans aren’t able to fully experience a naturally dark night sky since they live in regions that experience significant skyglow. However, the quantity and visibility of night sky objects dramatically increases in areas with lower levels of skyglow. In this presentation, Shaw will illustrate the origins and effects of skyglow across the state of Minnesota with the aid of stunning night sky images, breath-taking time-lapses and quantitative darkness measurements. He will introduce virtual reality (VR) imagery as an immersive way to experience the variety of Minnesota’s precious night skies. Finally, he will present steps anyone can take to help mitigate skyglow.
The Bell’s Resident Artist Research Project program is made possible in part thanks to generous support provided by the McKnight Foundation.
Mike Shaw is an award-winning photographer, author, and speaker based in St. Paul. He holds a Ph.D. in materials engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara, an M.S. in ceramic engineering from the Ohio State University, and a B.S. in materials science and engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. He spent two years as a postdoctoral research scientist at Cambridge University, England.
His books Composite Nightscapes and Time-Lapses and The Complete Guide to Landscape Astrophotography are indispensable guides to astrophotography, and his field workshops take him and his students around the globe in search of the darkest, clearest skies. Shaw is a 2019-2020 Bell resident artist, focusing on dark skies science and imagery.
8 pm: Universe @ Home—Cosmology and Large-Scale Structure: Why Nothing Really Matters
Darcy Ballantyne | Planetarium education assistant at the Bell and astrophysics student at the University of Minnesota
Ann Isaacs | Graduate student at the University of Minnesota, Minnesota Institute of Astrophysics.
Alexander Criswell | Graduate student at the University of Minnesota, Minnesota Institute of Astrophysics.
The universe is not uniform! It is made of huge structures, massive superclusters and voids thousands of lightyears across. This is the story of how those structures formed, why we see them, and what it means for us on our tiny blue dot.
9 pm: Live Telescope Observing from the Bell Museum Observation Deck
Grab your star map, sit back, and enjoy a tour of the night sky—live! Virtual star parties, happening every night this week, will allow you to see the wonders of the night sky from telescopes directly broadcasted to your screens. Our team and partners around the state will take you on a tour of the night sky and show you celestial objects from our solar system and beyond!
Thursday, November 12
7–9 pm
7 pm: Cultural Astronomy: the Importance of Starry Night Skies for People Across Time and Place
Jessica Heim | Astronomy educator and cultural astronomy graduate student at the University of Wales Trinity St. David
A view of the starry heavens has been an integral part of the human experience since time immemorial. Come and discover some of the ways the stars have played an important role in the lives of people around the world while learning about cultural astronomy—a branch of inquiry focused upon the connection between people and the sky. This talk will focus not only on the role of dark, starry skies in times past, but also, on the value such skies have for people today. There will be time for Q & A, so bring your questions!
Jessica Heim is currently pursuing graduate studies in cultural astronomy through the University of Wales Trinity St. David. In her dissertation research, she is studying community processes relating to dark sky friendly LED retrofits, examining lighting plans and policies, as well as gaining insight into the thoughts of stakeholders and community members about dark skies and lighting changes in their communities. Jessica enjoys engaging in collaborative educational outreach which allows participants to learn more about the connections between culture, science, and the night sky. She is a team member of Native Skywatchers, an initiative led by Professor Annette Lee, which seeks to remember and revitalize indigenous star and earth knowledge. Jessica’s research interests involve exploring human relationships with both sky and land, not only as pertaining to dark skies, but also in regard to ethics and policy issues associated with space exploration and development. She graduated magna cum laude from the College of St. Benedict, double majoring in environmental studies and music. In addition to her work with dark skies, she maintains a private piano studio, teaching students of all ages. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, bird watching, and otherwise spending time in the natural world.
8 pm: Live Telescope Observing: Guest Host Mark Job
Mark Job | Member at the Minnesota Astronomical Society
Grab your star map, sit back, and enjoy a tour of the night sky—live! Virtual star parties, happening every night this week, will allow you to see the wonders of the night sky from telescopes directly broadcasted to your screens. Our team and partners around the state will take you on a tour of the night sky and show you celestial objects from our solar system and beyond!
Friday, November 13
7–9:45 pm
7 pm: Out with a Bang! Year-end Sky Delights for 2020
Bob King ‘Astrobob’ | Amateur astronomer and writer
Some of the best and brightest sky happenings lie ahead including a lunar eclipse, the Geminid meteor shower and the closest conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn since 1623. We’ll talk about how best to see and enjoy them.
Bob King fell in love with the night sky and astronomy when he was a kid growing up in Illinois and loves to share his passion with people of all ages. Bob was a photographer and photo editor at the Duluth News Tribune for 39 years before retiring from the paper in 2018. When he’s not outside looking at comets and galaxies, he writes the astronomy blog Astro Bob as well as articles for Sky & Telescope magazine and its website. He’s taught community education astronomy classes at the University of Minnesota-Duluth planetarium for many years.
His books Night Sky with the Naked Eye and Wonders of the Night Sky You Must See Before You Die describe the joys of skywatching. Bob’s third book, Urban Legends of Space, examines science vs. pseudoscience in astronomy. “The greatest wilderness is the one over your head — you only need to look up.”
8 pm: Family Story Time and Activities
Rachel Heinrich | Ely Public Library
Dee Mclellan | NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador
Join us for a reading of The Stars Just Up the Street by Sue Soltis, by our partners from the Ely Public Library. Afterward, Dee Mclellan, a NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador, will show us how to put together a 3D constellation mobile. Check out the activity under the activities tab and prepare your materials ahead of time so that you and your family can make it along with us!
8:45 pm: Live Telescope Observing: Guest Host Jessica Rogers
Jessica Rogers| Director at University of Minnesota – Duluth’s Marshall W. Alworth Planetarium
Grab your star map, sit back, and enjoy a tour of the night sky—live! Virtual star parties, happening every night this week, will allow you to see the wonders of the night sky from telescopes directly broadcasted to your screens. Our team and partners around the state will take you on a tour of the night sky and show you celestial objects from our solar system and beyond!
Saturday, November 14
7–10 pm
7 pm: Saving the Dark Watch Party
Documentary by Sriram Murali
Eighty percent of the world’s population live under light polluted skies. What do we lose when we lose sight of the stars? Excessive and improper lighting robs us of our night skies, disrupts our sleep patterns and endangers nocturnal habitats. Saving the Dark explores the need to preserve night skies and ways to combat light pollution.
Saving the Dark documentary will be streamed live via Zoom. All you need to do is join our watch party, sit back, watch, and learn what it takes to protect our dark skies.
8 pm: Using Sketching to See Deeper
Jerry Jones | Astronomical League Coordinator for the Minnesota Astronomical Society
Sarah Komperud | Bell Museum Planetarium Programs Coordinator
Sketching isn’t always about artistic skill, technique, or aesthetics. The act of sketching can be a tool to learn how to observe and see more than you thought you could see. Join in, observe, and sketch with us as Jerry and Sarah chat, observe, and sketch what they see in the constellations of Auriga and Persesus.
Download a sketching worksheet!
Check out our Constellation Hunter Sketching series.
8:30 pm: Student Showcase
The Bell Museum’s student employees are exceptional. They come from a wide range of majors and backgrounds, and are involved in some really interesting projects on and off campus. Two of the planetarium student staff will share with you their recent projects.
Meredith Wieber, fourth year, astrophysics and physics
Interning with NASA: A Mission to the Ice Giants
During the spring 2020 semester, I had the chance to travel to the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center for an internship. While there I assisted a team of scientists in the development of an atmospheric probe that is proposed to fly on a satellite mission to one of the ice giant planets (Uranus or Neptune). A mission like this is important because the ice giants are the two planets we know arguably the least about; the closest we’ve observed them is with the Voyager 2 flyby in 1986!
Andrew Surine, second year, astrophysics and entomology
Insect farming and challenges of living in space.
9 pm: Live Telescope Observing from the Bell Museum Observation Deck
Grab your star map, sit back, and enjoy a tour of the night sky—live! Virtual star parties, happening every night this week, will allow you to see the wonders of the night sky from telescopes directly broadcasted to your screens. Our team and partners around the state will take you on a tour of the night sky and show you celestial objects from our solar system and beyond!