Festival of the Night Sky and Nocturnal Creatures at Los Peñasquitos Ranch House
By Cathy Handzel
To celebrate International Dark Sky Week, a Festival of the Night Sky and Nocturnal Creatures will be held at the Los Penasquitos Ranch House on Saturday, April 19 from 6:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. Come out and participate in bird watching, night sky poetry, kids activities, and see live owls and hawk flights. Learn about insects and bats, view dark sky and light pollution exhibits, listen to ranger talks, and explore nature exhibits. After dark, enjoy up-close moth observation and telescope stargazing with the San Diego Astronomy Association!
This free event is for all ages. It is sponsored by San Diego County Parks and Recreation, City of San Diego Parks and Recreation, Friends of Los Peñasquitos Canyon, and DarkSky San Diego County. Bring your binoculars, drinks, snacks, and a jacket. Visit DarkSkySanDiego.org for the event flyer.
Gazing up at a starry night sky inspires a sense of wonder and awe. For many San Diegans, driving east to the mountains or desert is the only time we see more than a handful of stars. This is because of light pollution. We need light to see at night, but too much artificial light causes skyglow which not only drowns out the stars but affects all life. Current research reveals negative impacts of excessive light on our ecosystems including harm to wildlife, plants, insects, and our own human health. We can learn to ‘Light Wisely’ and participate in the ‘Lights Out, San Diego!’ campaign to protect birds migrating on the Pacific Flyway as well as other creatures. It’s a win-win!
Turning off unnecessary lighting, using timers, shielding fixtures and aiming light downward, along with the use of warm-colored light instead of ‘daylight’ white will allow our human night vision to kick in. Look up! How many stars can you see? You don’t need a telescope to explore the night sky. Using binoculars is a great way to observe. Connecting with the Universe can spark curiosity about science and wonders of the natural world. Darkness can sometimes feel scary, but embracing the night can open our eyes to new worlds.
Will we see a meteor at the festival? The event happens to coincide with the Lyrids meteor shower which is active from April 16-25. In areas away from city lights, up to 20 meteors per hour may be visible during peak activity on the late evening of Monday, April 21 and early morning hours of Tuesday, April 22. Look towards the bright star Vega in the constellation Lyra, known as the Harp. There’s something magical about seeing a meteor shoot across the sky! While we can’t guarantee a meteor, we’ll be watching!
REFERENCES:
International Dark Sky Week: https://idsw.darksky.org/
AUTHOR BIO:
Cathy Handzel is a passionate light pollution advocate who serves as President of DarkSky San Diego County, a volunteer chapter of DarkSky International.
