South Dakota is far more than harsh winters and endless prairie. The western part of the state is full of exciting things to do and see: Mt. Rushmore, the Black Hills, fossil digs, Badlands National Park, and so much more. But if you plan a trip there, you should put at the top of your list Badlands Observatory. This amazing night sky destination is located in Quinn, South Dakota, only a few miles from Badlands National Park. It’s owned by Ron Dyvig and Teresa Hofer who join me in this episode to talk about their special slice of heaven under the stars.

Visit NightSkyTourist.com/57 for more information about this episode.

CHECK OUT THESE LINKS:

Badlands Observatory: https://www.badlandsobservatory.com

Big and Little Parks: https://bigandlittleparks.com

Big and Little Parks Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bigandlittleparks/

Big and Little Parks Etsy Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheParkPages

Badlands National Park: https://www.nps.gov/badl/

Wall, SD: https://www.wall-badlands.com

Mt. Rushmore: https://www.nps.gov/moru/

Custer State Park: https://www.blackhillsbadlands.com/parks-monuments/custer-state-park

Wind Cave National Park: https://www.nps.gov/wica/

Jewel Cave National Monument: https://www.nps.gov/jeca/

Black Hills & Badlands: https://www.blackhillsbadlands.com

Deadwood, SD: https://www.deadwood.com

Lead, SD: https://www.leadmethere.org

Spearfish, SD: https://visitspearfish.com

Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway: https://visitspearfish.com/blog/self-guided-tour-of-spearfish-canyon-scenic-byway

Sturgis, SD: https://www.travelsouthdakota.com/trip-ideas/road-journal/two-days-sturgis-fun-guaranteed-motorcycles-optional

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What do bats, tequila, and light pollution have to do with one another? Find out the interconnectedness of these three seemingly unrelated things in this conversation with Dr. Tanja Straka. Dr. Straka is an urban ecologist with a focus on bats at the Technische Universität Berlin, Institute of Ecology. Her research focuses on light pollution, urban bats, and more generally, how urban areas can be shared between people and wildlife. You’ll have to listen to find out how tequila fits into this mix.

Visit NightSkyTourist.com/56 for more information about this episode.

CHECK OUT THESE LINKS

Dr. Tanja M. Straka (Urban Ecology - Bats - Human Dimensions): https://tanjastraka.com

Experience the bats of Austin, TX: https://www.austintexas.org/things-to-do/outdoors/bat-watching/?gclid=CjwKCAiAk--dBhABEiwAchIwkXje6eCP-wSeP1q4udbv7LfwmiuluZqfNdYs907tsgUoULnIYNV00xoCkmAQAvD_BwE

Stellaluna (children’s book about a bat named Stellaluna): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stellaluna

Venus: The Planet with Two Names: https://nightskytourist.com/venus/

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In ancient times, nobody celebrated the New Year on January 1, or any other random day of the year. New Year’s Day was attached to an astronomically significant day, like the Spring Equinox or the Winter Solstice. In this episode, I take you back in time to follow the history of creating a more accurate calendar and how January 1 became the New Year for most people.

Visit NightSkyTourist.com/55 for more information about this episode.

CHECK OUT THESE LINKS:

I didn’t share any links in this episode, but here are some great websites with resources to get you started into a new year:

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Whether you’re shopping for the holidays, birthdays, get well gifts, or any other occasion, night sky-themed books for children are an excellent choice. In this episode, I chat with five authors and illustrators of some of the best of these books. Listen to Paul Bogard, Marsha Diane Arnold, Breanna McDaniel, Jamie Hogan, and Susanna Chapman share special tidbits about their beautiful books that will make kids (and adults) fall in love with the night sky.

Visit NightSkyTourist.com/54 for more information about this episode.

GIVEAWAY

I'm giving away a bundle of all five books featured in this episode. To enter, visit: nightskytourist.com/giveaway/

LINKS IN THIS EPISODE

Paul Bogard: http://www.paul-bogard.com

Marsha Diane Arnold: https://marshadianearnold.com

Breanna J. McDaniel: https://www.breannajmcdaniel.com

Jamie Hogan: https://www.jamiehogan.com

Susanna Chapman: https://www.susannachapman.com

Paul Bogard on Night Sky Tourist: https://nightskytourist.com/43/

Marsha Diane Arnold on Night Sky Tourist: https://nightskytourist.com/2-2/

My review of “Lights Out!” by Marsha Diane Arnold: https://nightskytourist.com/lights-out/

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Believe it or not, it's possible to have a night sky-related experience in a major urban city. Los Angeles ranks high on my list for such experiences, thanks to Griffith Observatory. In this episode, I chat with Mark Pine, the deputy director of Griffith Observatory. We even talk about the night the lights went out in Los Angeles and people started calling the police because of what they saw in the sky!

Visit NightSkyTourist.com/53 for more information about this episode.

LINKS IN THIS EPISODE

Griffith Observatory: https://griffithobservatory.org

Griffith Observatory on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GriffithObservatory

Griffith Observatory on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/griffithobservatory/

Griffith Observatory on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/GriffithObservatory

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nightskytourist/

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We want to hear your questions. They could even become part of a future Q&A. Record your question in a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us at [email protected].

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Fireflies are magical and mesmerizing. Yet researchers have been telling us that their populations are dwindling. So I chatted with Ben Pfeiffer, founder of the website Firefly.org, to learn more about what’s causing this problem and what we can do to solve it. Many of the measures we take for dark sky preservation apply here, too.

Visit NightSkyTourist.com/52 for more information about this episode.

LINKS IN THIS EPISODE

Firefly.org

“Nature’s New Hope” by Doubles W. Tallamy: https://www.amazon.com/Natures-Best-Hope-Approach-Conservation-ebook/dp/B07NMH5GH5

“Fireflies, Lightning Bugs, and Glow Worms” by Lynn Frierson Faust: https://www.amazon.com/Fireflies-Glow-worms-Lightning-Bugs-Identification/dp/0820348724

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Visit NightSkyTourist.com to read our great blog articles, check out our resource page, and sign up for our newsletters. Our monthly newsletter has content that is exclusive for subscribers.

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We want to hear your questions. They could even become part of a future Q&A. Record your question in a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us at [email protected].

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Our first-ever Halloween special will take you back in time to the origins of the spooky holiday. We’re going to discover the astronomical connection to the timing of Halloween and how it led to some of the traditions associated with it.

Visit NightSkyTourist.com/51 for more information about this episode.

LINKS IN THIS EPISODE

Why Earth Stagger with a Drunken Wobble: https://nightskytourist.com/wobble/

Ancient star stories of Jupiter and Saturn: https://nightskytourist.com/49/

Ancient star stories of Pegasus: https://nightskytourist.com/24-2/

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We want to hear your questions. They could even become part of a future Q&A. Record your question in a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us at [email protected].

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Montana is home to some of the largest areas of pristinely dark skies in the country. It’s not known as “Big Sky Country” for nothing. Lynn Powers, the president of the Southwest Montana Astronomical Society, joins us to share about great locations in Montana to see the stars and participate in stargazing programs.

Lynn is a NASA Solar System Ambassador, teaches at Montana State University, is a keynote speaker at numerous astronomy-related events, and holds a Master of Science degree in Science Education. Her list of activities and contributions is extensive, proving her deep passion for the night sky.

Visit NightSkyTourist.com/50 for more information about this episode.

LINKS IN THIS EPISODE

Southwest Montana Astronomical Society: https://smasweb.org

Blackfeet Astronomy: https://opi.mt.gov/Portals/182/Page%20Files/Indian%20Education/Science/Blackfeet%20Astronomy.pdf

Crow Astronomy: https://opi.mt.gov/Portals/182/Page%20Files/Indian%20Education/Science/Crow%20Astronomy.pdf

Montana Office of Public Instruction: https://opi.mt.gov

Twilight Activity for the Whole Family: https://nightskytourist.com/twilight-activity/

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This is the best time of year to see Jupiter and Saturn in the night sky, and Jupiter is really putting on a show this year. In this episode, I’m joined by Ted Blank, a NASA Solar System Ambassador, to talk about how to view these gorgeous gas giants.

Visit NightSkyTourist.com/49 for more information about this episode.

LINKS IN THIS EPISODE

Night Sky Tourist Episode #1 with Ted Blank (Meet Ted Blank): https://nightskytourist.com/1-2/

Night Sky Tourist Episode #25 with Ted Blank (Buying a Telescope): https://nightskytourist.com/25/

SPREAD THE WORD

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Have you ever been to Utah’s Antelope Island State Park in the middle of the Great Salt Lake? It’s only a short distance from the state’s capital, but it will surprise you with its beautiful dark skies. The island is a designated International Dark Sky Park and offers great stargazing programs, as well as unique landscapes and activities you can enjoy during the day.

In this episode, I chat with Wendy Wilson, the assistant park manager who put in the work to get Antelope Island its dark sky designation.

Visit NightSkyTourist.com/48 for more information about this episode.

LINKS IN THIS EPISODE

Antelope Island State Park: https://stateparks.utah.gov/parks/antelope-island/

Antelope Island Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AntelopeIslandSP

Antelope Island Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/antelopeislandstatepark/

Antelope Island Twitter: https://twitter.com/AntelopeSP

Ogden Astronomical Society: http://ogdenastronomy.org

Night Sky Tourist Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NightSkyTourist

Night Sky Tourist Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nightskytourist/

SPREAD THE WORD

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Visit NightSkyTourist.com to read our great blog articles, check out our resource page, and sign up for our newsletters. Our monthly newsletter has content that is exclusive for subscribers.

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We want to hear your questions. They could even become part of a future Q&A. Record your question in a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us at [email protected].

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