Navajo Astronomy Program at Heritage Center

The BLM Anasazi Heritage Center invites the public to celebrate the upcoming autumn equinox with a special presentation on the night's sky. On Wednesday evening, September 21 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Heritage Center, special guests Norman Bahé and Robert Johnson will describe the night sky from the Diné perspective, utilizing a special traveling planetarium and star lab from the Navajo Nation Museum. Set up in the Center’s special exhibit gallery, the inflatable planetarium will be surrounded by the multicolored beauty of Teec Nos Pos weavings part of the current special exhibit Trees In A Circle.

Bahé and Johnson will share traditional stories and songs of the season. They will identify Navajo constellations and discuss traditional understandings of the universe, Earth's movements, and astronomical events. Johnson explains, "The word Yáátééh can literally be translated into 'Universe Being'. There are many Navajo songs to the stars and earth." Navajos are traditionally very familiar with sky events through direct experience of spending long hours under the broad southwest sky. When they greet each other they are saying, "Hi, I am here before you, fully present and part of the Universe."

After the indoor presentation, guests will be invited to walk up the hill with the Heritage Center museum educator and observe where the sun sets on the horizon as viewed from Escalante Pueblo. Participants will learn to see the "horizon calendar" as the Puebloan people likely did long ago.

The autumn equinox is when the sun crosses directly over Earth's equator, heading south. It is one of the two days of the year that has equal amounts of daylight and night (12 hours each). This is one of several important days of the year marked by people everywhere as the beginning of fall. At some Four Corners archeological sites the day is marked by shadows or shafts of sunlight crossing spirals petroglyphs or solar/landscape alignments on the horizon. Different types of solar calendars from ancient times exist throughout the world. The actual equinox occurs this year on September 22, at 22:23 GMT or 4:23 pm local time.

The planetarium and star lab programs will also be open for local schools groups visiting the Heritage Center on Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning. Teachers interested in registering their class for a program should contact the BLM Anasazi Heritage Center museum educator, Suzan Craig, at (970) 882-5620. Other materials including activities on archaeoastronomy and a film that documents solar calendars in our region, are available on loan to teachers. The museum visit could be the fun conclusion to a week of learning and observing the sky.

The Anasazi Heritage Center is open daily from 9am to 5pm and in the evening for special events. The museum is located 3 miles west of Dolores, Colorado. The museum also serves as the visitor information center for Canyons of the Ancients National Monument. A $3 admission fee is charged for adults, 17 and under and Golden Pass holders are free. Special events are made possible through visitor donations and entry fees under the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act. For more information, call the Center at (970) 882-5600.

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