“Half the Park is After Dark.” Think your park day is over once the sun sets? Think again! Tyler Nordgren, PhD, joins Bryan for an illuminating look at the Night Skies program. As a Night Sky ambassador, Dr. Nordgren supports The National Park Service’s efforts to ensure that the celestial landscape remains visible to future generations. And speaking of young park-goers, stick around after the Carl Sagan story and travel tips as Everybody’s National Parks special junior ranger correspondents ask a few hard-hitting astronomical questions of their own.

Discussion Includes the Following:

[00:54] - Introduction: Night Skies program, Big Bend National Park

[01:17] - Dr. Tyler Nordgren: Cornell University and Carl Sagan

[02:46] - International Dark Sky Association and Dark Skies sites, the Milky Way, Natural Bridges National Monument

[03:51] - Ancient skies, ancient stories: Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park, John Muir

[06:02] - Evening Ranger programs: Around the galaxy, through the seasons

[08:41] - Astronomical math

[10:22] - The Drake equation

[11:06] - Teaching insignificance via a grapefruit and sundae sprinkles; Big Bend National Park, Kuiper Belt; Alpha Centauri

[14:29] - Native American oral traditions and the story of Ursa Majoris; Corona Borealis

[17:18] - Dr. Nordgren’s seasonal tips for travelers: Grand Canyon National Park, Acadia National Park, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Isle Royale National Park

[20:41] - Eclipse events: Mapping out the five years; Crater Lake National Park, Great Basin National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Lake Powell National Recreation Area, Mesa Verde National Park, Chaco Culture National Historical Park, Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Niagara Falls National Heritage Site

[24:05] - Letchworth State Park

[24:30] - Carl Sagan’s 'Cosmos'

[24:47] - Questions from junior rangers

[26:35] - Our collision course with Andromeda Galaxy

For complete show notes and archive, visit everybodysnationalparks.com.

Note: This episode is coming out in spring of 2020 during COVID-19 please be safe and follow guidelines to stay at home in social distance. If you are going to a national park, check the website for specific closures and guidelines for that park. The content of this interview is to inspire future travel once it is safe to do so. Thank you and we hope you and your loved ones stay healthy.

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