The night sky above Chuckwalla National Monument is a site to behold, with planets, nebulae, and galaxies that are light-years away often visible. This month, we spoke with John Frazier of the Astronomical Society of the Desert to learn more about astronomy, stargazing, and what makes this landscape such a special place to experience the night sky. In this Q&A, John takes us on a journey through the stars and shares what to look for when you visit Chuckwalla after dark.

What makes Chuckwalla National Monument such a special place for stargazing?

Chuckwalla National Monument encompasses over 624,000 acres of public lands. It is very dark at night and well shielded from the light coming from urban concentrations. Throughout, just how dark will vary as you travel west to east within the national monument. 

How does the Chuckwalla night sky compare to urban areas?

Chuckwalla National Monument is essentially a natural observatory where the infinite opens up before us. Much is visible to the naked eye or with a pair of binoculars. We are able to view many marvelous wonders above us. Not only do we see planets and “shooting stars,” that are close, but also star clusters, different nebulae, and galaxies that are many, many light-years away. 

What can you see in the night sky with the naked eye? How does a telescope improve the experience?

In autumn, the great Andromeda Galaxy is a wonder from the monument. At some point though, curiosity compels us to use a telescope to see details that the eyes just cannot resolve on their own. With a telescope, the many faint, far-away objects in the sky are now within our sight. We can also observe various elements within objects – for example, the dark atmospheric bands of Jupiter, the folds of gas and dust within various nebulae, or the spiral arms of a galaxy.

The Moon is always a fascinating space object to study through binoculars, or better yet, a telescope. It is a prominent fixture most days during twilight and evening. The Moon is best when partially lit by the sun. The stark shadows on an airless world bring out its varied topography. Moreover, as the sun’s angle on the Moon changes, our view changes considerably as new features show themselves. Check it out!

How are night skies in Chuckwalla different from other places?

Astronomers use a useful standard measurement of light pollution called the Bortle scale. The scale is divided into 9 classes based on the naked-eye visibility of notable celestial objects. A Bortle Class 1 sky is excellent, the best dark sky available. Under this sky we can observe many nebulae and star clusters. We can also see a few of the galaxies closest to us, especially Andromeda. A Bortle Class 9 sky is what one would experience in the middle of a city where only the moon, bright planets, and a few bright stars are visible. 

Throughout the monument from west to east, classification varies from Bortle Class 4 (good) to Bortle Class 2 (truly dark). For example, within the monument along Box Canyon Road we have Bortle 4 conditions. 

What can you see in the Chuckwalla night sky this season?

Keep in mind that the celestial objects visible to us depend on the time of year. In late summer, at twilight before the sky gets fully dark toward the West, we should be able to see the planet Venus. Saturn will be visible in the east starting at 9:30-10pm. 

What are some examples of constellations that first-time stargazers can look for at Chuckwalla?

Using just our eyes, constellations or asterisms (groupings of stars) are a great place to begin our evening journey across the cosmos. 

After dark, about 9:00 pm looking North, find the Big Dipper asterism: the 3-star handle and 4-star bucket/ladle portion. Follow the line of the 2 stars on the end of the bucket down and to the right that points to Polaris, the North Star. Interestingly, Polaris happens to be the end star of the handle of the Little Dipper asterism. Look up and see a very bright star, Vega, which lies in the small constellation of Lyra (harp). Below is the star Deneb, part of the large Cygnus (swan) constellation, five stars of which form an asterism referred to as the Northern Cross. Another star is visible south of Vega, called Altair, in the constellation of Aquila (the Eagle). These three stars (Vega, Deneb, and Altair) form the Summer Triangle.

Now look to the South and see a fairly prominent constellation of stars named Scorpius, the scorpion. The most prominent object within this constellation is a red supergiant star named Antares, referred to as the heart of the Scorpion. Quite close by is a beautiful globular cluster of stars, designated M4, that is best appreciated through a telescope. Now look to the left of Scorpius at a constellation of stars that resembles a teapot. Find the teapot’s spout and you are looking toward the center of our Milky Way galaxy.

What are your recommendations for people interested in stargazing?

If you are interested in astronomy and want to see the incredible things in space beyond our planet, attend local star parties. Check out different telescopes. And, above all, ask questions.

Chuckwalla National Monument offers a wide variety of outdoor recreational activities for everyone to enjoy. With summer in full swing, please remember to visit safely and responsibly.