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Archaeoastronomy and Ancient Peoples
ARIZONA DARK SKIES
April - May 5, 2027
Dear Members & Friends:
We invite you to join us to explore natural, historical and astronomical wonders of this desert paradise on our Arizona Dark Skies expedition.
This 8 day expedition is a intruduction to the Ancestral Pueblo and Navajo people, the natural history of the southwest and celebrate the Dark skies with a dark sky viewing from Mesa Verde.
Highlights:
Sunset Crater NM: at about 900 years old, this is one of the youngest volcanos in the lower 48 states.
Wupatki Pueblo, a 100 room pueblo built in the 1100's. The window openings give insight to the seasonal calendar of these ancient people and their knowledge of the night sky and the annual pattern of the Sun.
Museum of Northern Arizona with superb Native American and natural history exhibits.
An evening visit to the Lowell Observatory to see the astronomy displays and then view the night sky through the telescope.
Meteor Crater: impact crater of a large meteor 50,000 years ago.
Ancestral Puebloan/Hopi archaeological site of Homol'ovi.
Stand on the corner in Winslow AZ, known for its Route 66 heritage.
Petrified Forest National Park with beautifully fossilized trees. Do not take a sample.
Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site: founded in 1876, stocked with intricately designed rugs and silver jewelry and have an opportunity to tour the historic Hubbell home.
Canyon de Chelly National Monument: archeology of human occupation spanning more than 4,000 years,ancient and current, with spectacular scenery.
Mesa Verde: If open, explore Cliff Palace and Balcony House with a Park Ranger & Expedition Leader Bryan Bates as our guides. Weather permitting, Bryan will lead a night-sky watching adventure, with a focus on the Navajo constellations.
What to Expect: Transportation will be by 15 passenger vans on this expedition. Walks of 1 to 3 miles daily, on various flat to moderately inclined uneven, rocky, unpaved walking trails, will be at a reasonable pace for discovery and exploration. Some trails at Mesa Verde are strenuous and involve going up and down narrow staircases, climbing ladders and elevation changes.
Sincerely,
Terri Stevens, Expedition Manager
$5,795 per person twin share, not including air,
Singles: $895 additional.
Brochure (download PDF)
From our travelers:
"Exceeded expectations This trip was education on steroids, Betchart Expeditions at its best. Mirrors, observatories, Moon, Mars, origin of universe, cactus, plants, animals, native Americans past and present, geology, meteors."
"The two trip leaders were excellent naturalists. The visits and talks at the different sites (Planetary Science Institute, Kitt Peak Observatory, Lowell Observatory) were very instructive and well prepared."
-- 2011 Travelers | |
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