THE TIME THAT LIGHT TAKES TO TRAVEL... across the vast and roomy reaches of space? It's a topic we love, one that's enthusiastically touched upon in Astronomy 101 and every Intro to Space seminar. Meaning we understand that the faint glow we detect from a distant star is a very old illumination, a light source that began long, long, loooong before we were born. So the concept of time? It takes on various and deep dimensions when it comes to matters of space study, galactic appreciation, and the enjoyment of the night sky. Take the here-on-earth Dark Sky Festival, an annual event from the Sequoia Parks Conservancy. It's now over for 2020, but it isn't really over, and if you can wrap your mind around that, you'll be stoked for what comes next.
FOR THE EVENT, which was fully virtual in 2020, did take place, in our shared timeline, over the second weekend of September. When Sept. 13 wrapped, so did the festival, which celebrates the stars that shine so brightly above the tall trees and the other dark pockets of this planet. But here's something that makes us feel as happy as Jupiter's Great Red Spot is large: Content will continue to be available "until Summer 2021." That means you can still hear from Darren Bly of the Kern Astronomical Society in Bakersfield, and learn about Astrophotography in our National Parks and Public Lands from photographer and filmmaker Jeremy Evans, and soak up other great elements of the cosmic to-do.
THE STARS AND THE SEQUOIAS? It's an eternal combination that stirs the soul. So, too, is the idea that time isn't always what it seems, even here on our home turf. Enjoy events that have already passed, in your own timeline, by visiting the Dark Sky Festival site now.
