And such is life!

I love what seems to be the accelerating rate of book releases on this topic. Congratulations!

I adore NM!

Photo credit to my spouse!

Sombrero Galaxy

Sombrero Galaxy from a mere stone's throw from Tucson city limits. Well designed lighting benefits science, the environment, human health, and... amateur astro-photographers!

Enjoy a dark sky presentation by Astronomer Bob Yoesle on Saturday April 18 at the Arivaca Dance Hall at 6 pm, followed by some telescope observing with Vannessa Gressieux from Kitt Peak National Observatory

Here’s a fabulous opportunity to celebrate Earth Day and International Dark Sky Week!

While not in SoAZ, Chaco Canyon, among other things, happens to be a magically Dark Sky place. We have ***FIVE*** days to make our feelings known during this comment period.
Please consider doing so.

Five Principles for Responsible Outdoor Lighting Too often, outdoor electric lighting installations at night are overlit, left on when not needed, and harmful to the environment. As a result, light pollution is a growing global issue that can…

2/2 You knew this was coming, right?
darksky.org/resources/gu...

1/2 Did you know that Tucson was designated an "Urban Bird Treaty City" last month? UBT City goals include "reducing urban hazards to birds," and lists Artificial Light at Night (ALAN) as one of those hazards. Spring migration is nearly upon us. YOU can help birds safely find their way.

I was out on a stinknet pull a couple days ago, and we were able to find a patch in the Santa Cruz River thanks to this reporting system.

Eeks - good luck!

Sounds like flooding might be coming to a watershed near you?

"a comfortable planet" - that made me chuckle. And I checked - our ice did indeed break on the last day of winter. Fitting, I guess? :-/

And here, the ice on the Santa Cruz River is breaking, meaning we have reached triple digits, if we hadn't already yesterday. (No, that is not normal for Tucson right now. In fact, it's a good 25 degrees above normal.)
Happy Spring to both of us, I guess!

Make sure you get the entire crown of the plant, or it will be baaaack!

Habitat at Home & Native Plants ⋆ Tucson Bird Alliance Your outdoor space isn’t just a yard; it’s part of your home. You can make it home for the birds, reptiles and pollinators of the Southwest as well. It is easy to transform your outdoor space, enhanci...

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Interested in creating a "Habitat at Home?" Check out Tucson Bird Alliance's program.
tucsonbirds.org/habitat-at-h...

Five Principles for Responsible Outdoor Lighting Too often, outdoor electric lighting installations at night are overlit, left on when not needed, and harmful to the environment. As a result, light pollution is a growing global issue that can…

1/2 Did you know the Tucson Bird Alliance Habitat at Home program includes "limiting outdoor lighting and utilizing dark sky compliant lighting" as one of the suggested hazards to mitigate?
Doing so is easy, if you follow these five principals.
darksky.org/resources/gu...

(Some of us really know our popcorns.)

😝😝😝

“…camera decided to focus.” Yep! 😝

*helped start...

Ah! I have been wanting to buy this! I helped a tiny little phenology project called "The Lucy Tree."

Satellite proposals threaten the night sky In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the agency responsible for authorizing satellite launches and operations…

Public comment period closes March 6. Please take 15 minutes to speak out against this.
darksky.org/news/two-sat...

March 3, 2026 Total Lunar Eclipse in Tucson, Arizona, USA Start time, end time, animation, and detailed viewing information for the upcoming eclipse in Tucson, Arizona, USA

Lunar Eclipse, coming to a sky near you. (at approx 4:30am)
www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/u...

Satellite proposals threaten the night sky In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the agency responsible for authorizing satellite launches and operations…

Some days, the process of creating an online account to publicly comment on items feels overwhelming. You can create the account one day, and make your comments the next. That's how I spoke out against unregulated mass satellite deployments.
darksky.org/news/two-sat...

Satellite proposals threaten the night sky In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the agency responsible for authorizing satellite launches and operations…

This takes a bit of doing (15 minutes), but isn't preserving our night sky worth at least that much? Satellites have their place, but we don't think large scale deployments should be exempt from environmental review.
This FCC comment period closes soon. (March 6)
darksky.org/news/two-sat...

Planetary Alignment on February 28, 2026: How to See Six Planets After Sunset Six planets are above the horizon after sunset around Feb 28, 2026. Start 30–60 min after sunset; low western horizon. Four of the six planets will be visible to the naked eye!

And the planets shall align.
starwalk.space/en/news/plan...

Oenothera caespitosa blooming at night. (Tufted Primrose)

Four last night!

The future of astronomy is both on Earth and in space The future of astronomy is both on Earth and in space

“What have we gained in going to space if, in the process, we have cut off all of humanity from the night sky?”

spacenews.com/the-future-o...

The crazy disconnect between the experience of photographing Antelope Canyon (in my case, I joined an absolute crush of frenzied photographers) and the photos themselves, is just wild.
Amazing place.