NPS
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| Friday, August 2, 2024, 7:30-8:30 p.m. Made for NASA Join Dave Schlichting, NASA Hunch, to learn about the challenges of space exploration. The challenges are daunting, but NASA is partnering with grassroots efforts to find new solutions. We have a HUNCH it just might work! |
Saturday, August 3, 2024, 7:30-8:30 p.m. Jupiter and Beyond: Exploration of the Outer Solar System What have we learned about the outer solar system from past and present missions? Join Dr. Fran Bagenal, LASP UC-Boulder, and learn about first-hand accounts of Voyager, New Horizons, Juno, Galileo, Cassini and more! |
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Where are Different Activities Happening? Check out the Astronomy Festival Map!
Click on top of the map image to enlarge
East Side of RMNP: Beaver Meadows Visitor Center
| Friday, August 2, 2024; 8-9 p.m. Colorado Space Explorers The culture of exploration in Colorado is not just a thing of the past, it extends into space science too! Join Arlin Bartels, NASA, to discover an array of space missions with components from the Centennial State. |
Saturday, August 3, 2024; 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Ancient Moonwatchers The science of lunar cycles helps us understand past cultures, present moon lore, and casts a glow on our dreams for the future. Join Dr. Erica Ellingson from UC Boulder to explore this topic. Learn about research at Chimney Rock National Monument in Colorado and recent observations from Stonehenge in the United Kingdom. |
| Saturday, August 3, 2024, 8-9 p.m. Starlight, Starbright Dark night skies have been a constant throughout humanity, but now 99 percent of us live under light polluted skies. Join Deb Price with DarkSky Colorado, and explore the science of darkness and the reasons it is important. Learn about easy ideas of how everyone can help reduce light pollution in our own backyards. |
East Side of RMNP: Glacier Basin Campground
Parking is limited at Glacier Basin Campground. When parking is full, these events will be full.
Parking is limited at Glacier Basin Campground. When parking is full, these events will be full.
| Friday, August 2, 2024; 8-9 p.m. Wonders of the Night Sky in National Parks What does it mean to join the dark side? Meet Dr. Li-Wei Hung, one the the lead Astronomers in the National Park Service. Discover why natural darkness is important, how darkness is measured, and learn about ways that we all can work together to keep stellar night sky views for plants, wildlife, and people. |
Saturday, August 3, 2024; 8-9 p.m. Stories Behind the Stars Picture the connection between art and astronomy with Astrophotographer and writer Dawn Wilson. Dawn with share her tips for how to find the best night sky views and how to plan for a stellar evening. |
Guest Presenter Biographies
Courtesy Dr. Fran Bagenal
Dr. Fran Bagenal
Dr. Fran Bagenal is a research scientist and professor at the University of Colorado, Boulder. She is co-investigator and team leader for the plasma investigations on NASA's New Horizons mission to Pluto and the Juno mission to Jupiter. Her main area of expertise is the study of charged particles trapped in planetary magnetic fields and the interaction of plasmas with the asmospheres of planetary objects, particulary in the outer solar system. She edited the monography Jupiter: Planet, Satellites and Magnetosphere (Cambridge University Press, 2004).
Born and raised in the United Kingdom, Dr. Bagenal received her bachelor of science in Physics and Geophysics from the University of Lancaster, England, and her doctorate degree in Earth and Planetary Sciences from MIT. She has participated in several of NASA's planetary exploration misisons, including Voyager 1 and 2, Galileo, Deep Space 1, New Horizons, and Juno.
Courtesy Arlin Bartels
Arlin Bartels
Arlin Bartels is a Senior Project Manager at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and an Estes Park High School graduate. Across a 35-year career in Aerospace spent mostly in Colorado and Maryland, he has worked in private industry and for NASA on a range of Commercial, Civilian and Defense missions as a Systems Engineer and Project Manager.
Arlin has specialized in Planetary and Deep Space missions, having either worked or led robotic spacecraft missions to the Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, the Asteroid Bennu and the Jupiter Trojan Asteroids. Mr. Bartels currently is leading the development of the “DAVINCI” mission to Venus, which is planned to launch in 2031 and arrive at Venus in 2033 where it will release a probe to investigate the Venusian atmosphere during descent.
Arlin and his wife Kimberly (also an Estes Park High School Graduate) still call Estes Park their hometown, and enjoy travel, the outdoors and spending time with their granddaughters and a German Shepherd named Hank.
Courtesy Dr. Erica Ellingson
Dr. Erica Ellingson
Dr. Erica Ellingson is an astrophysicist who delights in using telescopes large and small in space and at observatories around the world.Her work includes investigating galaxy clusters, the evolution of galaxies, black holes, and the mysterious cosmological forces of dark matter and dark energy. Her research also includes historical and archaeo-astronomy and she is an editor with the international Journal of Skyscape Archaeology.
Dr. Ellingson also teaches and produces educational programs at the Fiske Planetarium at the University of Colorado, teaches with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Denver and is an astronomical consultant with the National Park Service.
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Dr. Li-Wei Hung
Dr. Li-Wei Hung leads the NPS night sky monitoring team, which serves all 430 national park units in the United States. Her role involves providing scientific support to superintendents and resource managers, with a focus on protecting natural night skies for the management of both natural and cultural resources, facilities, wildlife, and visitor experiences across the NPS.
As the lead scientist, Dr. Hung oversees the development of night sky monitoring camera systems. Additionally, she offers technical assistance to parks regarding sustainable outdoor lighting. Her work serves as a bridge between park staff and nearby communities, addressing light pollution through collaborative efforts.
Dr. Hung is an astrophysicist by training. She earned her Ph.D. in Astronomy from the University of California, Los Angeles. Utilizing an 8-meter telescope, she directly imaged planet formation disks around other stars. Her academic journey also includes a Bachelor of Science in Physics and Astronomy from The Ohio State University, where she graduated summa cum laude with honors research distinction.
Dr. Hung was born and raised in Taipei, Taiwan. Outside of work, she finds joy in outdoor activities such as backpacking, camping, hiking, biking, running, and swimming.
Courtesy Deb Price
Deb Price
Deborah Price is a retired environmental educator, and has been a member of Darksky Colorado's Board of Directors since 2022. She has a degree in Natural Resource Recreation and Tourism from Colorado State University, and a previous degree in journalism and public relations.
Deborah shares dark-sky presentations and astronomy programs with the general public throughout the northern Colorado region. She helped start astronomy programs while working with the City of Fort Collins Natural Areas and later at Boulder County Parks & Open Space.
She enjoys hiking, writing, photography, astronomy, and sharing her love of nature. Deborah fondly remembers being overwhelmed with the beauty of the night sky, when first hiking in the mountains.
Dave Schlichting
Dave Schlichting is a retired Astronomy and Space Science Teacher and currently lives in Winter Park, Colorado with his wife Darcy. He devoted his career to creating a curriculum in astronomy for high school students that emphasized the importance of science education.
Dave was selected as an Education Ambassador for the NASA MAVEN mission to Mars in 2013, served as a Teacher Liaison for the Space Foundation, and was the principle investigator for COSMOS which analyzed the molecular structure of metals synthesized in microgravity on the International Space Station.
Dave currently serves as the Colorado mentor for HUNCH, supervising more than 600 students working on projects for the International Space Station, Project Gateway, and Artemis.
Courtesy Dawn Wilson
Dawn Wilson
Dawn is a full-time and award-winning nature photographer and writer. She specializes in photographing and telling the stories about wildlife of high latitudes and high altitudes of the Rocky Mountains and Alaska as well as the landscapes and night skies that captivate the imagination in these locations.
Dawn's photographs are in galleries and collections throughout North America. She has more than 800 bylined articles and photos to her credit, including Outdoor Photographer, Colorado Outdoors, Wyoming Wildlife, Alaska magazine and more! Dawn is also the outdoor writer and photographer for Estes Park Trail-Gazette.
After learning more about the impacts of light pollution on wildlife, Dawn took up capturing images of the night sky to encourage others to take steps in preserving another resource we are quickly losing.
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Return to Night Sky Programs PageLast updated: July 26, 2024