BENSON Saturn was the big attraction Saturday night at a stargazing event hosted by Kartchner Caverns State Park, with support from the Huachuca Astronomy Club.

About 100 people gathered at the park for the fourth annual Sky Party, an event where participants look at celestial bodies through astronomers telescopes. On this night, most were focused on that ringed planet more than a billion miles from earth.

Sponsored by the Huachuca Astronomy Club and Astronomers of Verde Valley, the event kicked off with an Afternoon Solar Viewing from 2 to 5 p.m. But cloudy conditions through the afternoon shielded the sun from view, with the exception of an occasional appearance when clouds would drift off and allow brief, intermittent viewing opportunities.

I think the overcast sky scared people off, smiled Ken Duncan a member of the Huachuca Astronomy Club who was at the solar viewing with his telescope. As the sun goes down this evening, it could clear. You just never know what Mother Nature has in store for us. Duncan, a Sierra Vista resident, says he participates in as many of the clubs public night viewing events as possible.

The evening stargazing fared much better than the solar viewing, as the clouds dispersed, revealing the Milky Way Galaxy and vast clusters of stars and constellations that filled the night sky. Using red lights as pointers, the astronomers identified Mars, Saturn, Polaris and the three bright stars of the summer triangle. The Big Dipper is visible in the northwest sky this time of year.

I like Saturn the best, said 12-year-old Andrew Blankenship, whose family happened to be visiting the area from Phoenix and learned about the Star Party from friends. I like looking at all the stars and planets, but Saturn is really cool.

Another out-of-town visitor, Judy Leeson, was in the area from Ottawa, Canada. This is so exciting, she said after viewing Saturn. Leeson also is in awe of how beautiful rural Arizonas dark skies are. This is the second star watching event Ive attended and I think theyre wonderful. The evening skies here are absolutely spectacular.

Protecting the dark sky from light pollution was the focus of the evenings presentation by guest speaker Connie Walker of the National Optical Astronomy Observatory. Light pollution is washing out the night sky, she said in her opening remarks. Three fourths of people growing up in cities have never seen a true night sky, she added. Walker spoke of work being done by the International Dark-Sky Association to educate industries, government officials and communities about the impact that unshielded light has on the nighttime sky, as well as steps that can be taken to help alleviate that impact. Unshielded light washes out the cosmos, costs a tremendous amount of money and is an unwise use of lighting, she said. In her presentation, Walker showed satellite images taken of the earth in 10-year increments that demonstrated light pollutions advancement across the globe. She spoke of a phenomenon referred to as sky glow, the illumination of night sky created by upward directed lighting.

Reducing light pollution involves controlling the careless use of artificial light through action, education and outreach, said Robert Gent, a member of the Huachuca Astronomy Association and past board president of the International Dark-Sky Association. Gent says Cochise County has initiated lighting ordinances to help reduce light pollution representing an important first step in preserving the night sky, considered a vital natural resource for future generations.

Walkers presentation offered practical solutions for eliminating wasted lighting, with steps that can start right at home. Shield and lower the wattage of all outdoor lighting, she said. Use light only when needed and use timers, dimmers and sensors to help darken unoccupied areas.

Follow this link:

Gazing the night skies over the San Pedro Valley