The desert "season" has begun. Autumn days are now saturated with sunshine,
and the nights are dark and filled with stars.
With Borrego Springs' recent designation as California's first International
Dark Sky Community-and the town's upcoming 44th Annual Borrego Days Desert
Festival featuring the theme "Starry Starry Nights"-much is planned to help
all appreciate the universe like never before. If you haven't visited the
desert recently, I hope you'll plan to join us for some of these exciting
programs! To see a full schedule of public events during 2009-2010, visit:
http://www.dennismammana.com/presentations/schedule.htm
Coming up soon.
01) Overnight Campout in the Anza-Borrego Desert (Sat/Sun, October 10/11)
02) A Celestial Time Machine at Borrego Springs Resort (Thursday, October
15)
03) One People, One Sky! photographic exhibition opening reception
(Friday, October 16)
04) Desert Stargazing for Beginners class (Saturday, October 17)
05) Sunday Stargazing at the Springs (Sunday, October 18)
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01) Overnight Campout in the Anza-Borrego Desert (Sat/Sun., October
10/11)
With the desert weather at its most spectacular, this is a great time to
gaze deeply into a clear, dark desert sky and reach up to capture the stars.
If this is something you've always wanted to do, here's an event you won't
want to miss! Join me on a fun overnight campout and a fascinating tour of
the heavens with eye and telescope (weather permitting). And photography
buffs will enjoy trying their hand at creating beautiful nighttime sky
portraits with only camera and tripod.
(http://www.californiaoverland.com/celestial-popup.html)
Weekend includes exciting excursion into the Borrego Badlands with an expert
guide and storyteller, all camping gear, gourmet chuck wagon dinner and full
hot breakfast the next morning. All you need to bring is your curiosity and
sense of adventure!
Advanced reservations are required. For more information or reservations,
call Joe Raffetto toll-free at 866.6.EXPLORE or 760.767.1232, or visit
online at California Overland Desert Excursions
(http://www.californiaoverland.com/) for all their overnight excursions
(http://www.californiaoverland.com/overnight.html).
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
02) A Celestial Time Machine at Borrego Springs Resort (Thursday, October
15; 5:30 p.m.)
Nothing in the heavens appears as it is now. All is an illusion--a vision
of ages long past. Join us for a truly inspiring voyage of discovery--to
other places and other times--some so distant that the light we see began
its journey long before humans walked the face of planet Earth. This is a
journey you won't soon forget!
http://www.dennismammana.com/presentations/lectures.htm#COSMIC_TIME_M...
This terrific package at the Borrego Springs Resort includes: one night's
deluxe accommodations (October 15, 2009), indoor slide program followed by
naked-eye and telescope viewing with expert amateur astronomers (weather
permitting), buffet dinner, transportation to viewing site, celestial party
refreshments, all tax and gratuity. Non-hotel packages are also available.
For more information, please visit:
http://www.borregospringsresort.com/featuredpromotions.asp or call
888.826.7734 for reservations. These programs are popular, so don't wait!
And to read about a recent sky event there, check out this recent article by
one of the participants:
http://www.sandiegoinsidertours.com/blog/index.php/category/desert-life/
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
03) One People, One Sky! photographic exhibition opening reception
(Friday, October 16; 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.)
After successful runs in France, India, Italy, South Africa, Korea, Chile,
Algeria and other exotic venues, this stunning photographic exhibition comes
to Borrego Springs, California. It presents the world's great landmarks
against the backdrop of stars, planets and celestial events, attesting to
the truly unified nature of Earth as a planet. Featured in this show are
unique images from TWAN (http://www.twanight.org <http://www.twanight.org/>
), an international team of 29 of the most highly-acclaimed night sky
photographers, including yours truly as one of only seven team members from
the U.S.
Join us for the exciting opening reception at 5 p.m. on Friday, October 16.
For more information, email (kayle...@cableusa.com) or call Kay Levie at
760.767.5252 or visit:
http://www.dennismammana.com/presentations/exhibitions.htm#TWAN_BAI_E...
ON
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04) Desert Stargazing for Beginners class (Saturday, October 17; 12:30
p.m. - 8:30 p.m.)
This full-day class is designed for beginning stargazers interested in
exploring the enjoyable and mind-expanding hobby of amateur astronomy, and
includes telescope viewing of some of the wonders of the desert sky (weather
permitting). Advanced registration is required. For more information or to
register, call 760.767.4063 or visit
http://www.dennismammana.com/presentations/courses.htm#DESERT_STARGAZ...
_BEGINNERS
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05) Sunday Stargazing at the Springs (Sunday, October 18; 6:30 p.m.)
We'll start with a light dinner and your choice of beverages followed by a
fun-filled preview of the October night sky, then it's out to the Astronomy
Park and Observatory for some great telescope viewing of the desert sky
(weather permitting). No RV is necessary to join the fun!
This month's program is titled Giant Worlds of Gas, in which we'll gaze
outward toward the giant planets that now appear in our evening
sky―Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune―and even beyond, toward some of the stars
that are home to their own planetary systems.
Admission is $15. For more information and tickets, call 760.767.0004 or
visit:
http://www.dennismammana.com/presentations/lectures.htm#SUNDAY_STARGA...
_THE_SPRINGS
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As you requested, I am sending these astronomy notices to you.
Please let me know if your e-mail address changes, or if you ever prefer not
to receive these postings. And feel free to pass this newsletter on to
friends and encourage them to subscribe. Remember, I will never sell,
trade, lend, or leak your e-mail address to any other individual or
organization-only those who request inclusion are added.
To read these missives online, visit the archive at:
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/MammanaGrams
If you wish to reach me, you can do so not by replying to this site, but by
my e-mail address: mamm...@skyscapes.com
________________
DENNIS MAMMANA
<http://www.DennisMammana.com> www.DennisMammana.com
<http://www.twanight.org> www.twanight.org
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