Stars Under a Blanket

under a waning moon

When planning my trip to Utah, I took some advice from Ms. Foott and planned my trip as close as possible to the new moon when the sky was the darkest.

“The light from the moon may appear dim, but it can dramatically change the nighttime landscape,” Ms. Foott said. “New moon is the best time to see faint celestial objects that can be erased by moonlight, such as the Milky Way and faint stars. This can also be achieved when the moon is setting or when the moon is only partially illuminated.”

On the morning of October 4 – as the moon waned – I got off the plane at Salt Lake City International Airport and drove to downtown. Moababout 230 miles southeast and entrance gate Canyon Lands and Arches, two of Utah’s “Mighty Five” national parks. Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef and Zion.

In my little Ford Fiesta, with all the windows closed, I saw for the first time the often photographed sandstone formations, towers, hills and hoods (or earth pyramids) of Utah, as well as the undulating canyons and natural bridges that make the state so geographically alive. . As I was only days away from caring for an elderly parent, time was constrained, so I had to skip Canyonlands National Park, another nearby stargazing center, and concentrate only on Arches, where I was planning to meet up with an old friend. , Thom Harrop, Utah native and photographer.

After hours and a bit of dirt, I entered the old mining town of Moab, which serves as a base camp for tourists, rock climbers, mountain bikers, hikers, and stargazers. While a number of restaurants in Moab cater to a variety of tastes, a growing number of hotels cater to the needs of those who want to kick the sandstone and then sleep on crisp sheets, which is a demographic I’m totally into.

Back at my home in Tennessee, I heard a long-standing special stargazing site called Arches. Panorama Point was recently upgraded. CEO, Joette Langianese, Friends of Arches and Canyonlands Parks, The nonprofit, which is critical in obtaining the dark sky designation for both parks, has confirmed that they have built an outdoor sky viewing area with telescope pads and 75-person seating.

“Recently, people go there with their own telescopes and sometimes a ranger comes out and talks to them,” Langianese said. “Both Canyonlands and Arches have scheduled night sky schedules, but they’ve been canceled due to Covid, so they kind of happen automatically.”