Montana Is the Perfect State for Stargazing
All America lies at the end of the wilderness road, and the past is not a dead past, but still lives on. The forefathers had civilization inside themselves, the wild outside. Civilization exists now as a result of what they created, but within remains the wilderness. What they dreamed, is now lived, and what they lived, is now dreamed. — epigraph from “Lonesome Dove” from T. K. Whipple’s, Study Out the Land
Light, like a criminal in the night, trespasses and steals the stars — the constellations that guided ancestors upon oceans and across wilderness, making nebulous the visible rhythms of nature that told them when to plant and when to harvest. The ancient orbs composed of hydrogen and helium, ripe with mythology, mystery and meaning, are disappearing around the world.
Montana’s state population is equal to the number of people who attend a single parade in Boston — the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade. To many in the state, the lack of distraction equals peace. What may not be considered is that the lack of light equals opportunity. People in more urban areas rarely get the chance to see the night sky in all its glory. Residents can walk outside in the crisp air and look up to the heavens. Monthly meteor showers, a moon nearly 4.5 billion years old, star hopping — now is the perfect time to embrace the night and share the stars with each other.
Cling to the Wonder of Space
Lynn Powers, an amateur astronomer and International Astronomical Dark Sky Union Ambassador, feels sorry for times — where kids are too distracted by technology to notice the wonder above them. “There was a time when people looked up to know their place in space — where the stars are, where the constellations are — to know what season it is — now eyes are focused down at devices,” she said. “Familiarity with the sky has faded.”
Protect Your Mind Against the Light
For generations, the human body existed with a natural rhythm — work, harvest and hunt with the light, sleep in the night. It was a law of nature, obeyed without question. Then came fire, lamps made of animal fat, candles, the light bulb, street lights — humans began to battle the night in increasing levels of intensity. According to Dr. Carlye Luft, humans gained the night at great cost to their bodies. There is now a condition called shift work syndrome — which applies to people who are awake when they should be sleeping.
“That affects melatonin production, and there is research showing that people under these conditions have 3-10 times more risk for cancer and autoimmune disease because it affects immune response. Melatonin is actually really supportive of the immune system,” she said.
The Mountain West Is the Best for Stargazing
“[Stargazing is] slowing down. How often does anyone slow down and quiet the mind? Sitting outside and just looking up creates hours of conversation. There’s no need to be entertained and no need to look at devices,” Powers said.
There is a wide swath of darkness in Montana. Stars visible to the naked eye are present in this galaxy.
Welcome to the Star Party
There is certain etiquette that must be followed at star parties for optimal enjoyment. Here are things to avoid and things to find to enjoy the night sky:
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When a car drives by, children have flashing lights on their shoes, or someone turns on a flashlight without a red covering, it takes the human eye approximately 20 minutes to adjust and let the light back in so that observers can see the most stars with the naked eye.
A red balloon with the neck cut off can be placed over most flashlights to protect night vision and to see as many stars as possible.
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Watch the moon go through different phases — and a telescope is not needed. You can look at the moon with a spotting scope or binoculars.
“It’s not just getting out and contemplating the stars. It’s looking at the moon — because the moon is really cool. The moon has been around for 4.5 billion years and it preserves its history,” she said.
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There is at least one meteor shower each month. While the weather isn’t always great, going out and making a wish on a falling star is a lot of fun.
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You don’t have to know anything when you go out, but each time try to learn something new.
There’s a practice called star-hopping. From the Big Dipper, star hop to find the Little Dipper and then locate Cassiopeia from Orion’s Belt.
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Become a citizen scientist and help collect data for the Globe at Night campaign — an international initiative to raise public awareness of the impact of light pollution by inviting citizen-scientists to measure and submit night sky brightness observations.
Summer Skywatching Event
The Perseid meteor shower is described by Space.com as the “Old Faithful” of meteor showers. On a clear night, there’s the potential to see more than one meteor per minute.