Univer
sity of Minnesota Duluth in partnership with the Gunflint Trail Historical Society is bringing this experience to the end of the Gunflint Trail!!
The UMD is on a journey to celebrate and preserve Northeast Minnesota’s dark sky window to the universe. The journey will begin in Duluth on the 7th at the UMD planetarium and will end on August 12th in the footprint of the darkest night sky in the US east of the Mississippi. Each day we will travel to a new destination with telescopes, where there will be free programming for all.
You can follow the caravan along as they make their way up the North Shore to Chik-Wauk Museum & Nature Center.
8/7 – Duluth
8/8 – Split Rock Lighthouse
8/9 – Tettegouche State Park
8/10 – Grand Marais – North House Folk School
8/11 – Seagull Lake Community Center
8/12 – Chik-Wauk
Outside, there will be telescopes set up and experts on hand for viewing the sun, stars, planets, and moon. The journey will begin with the new moon and end on the first quarter moon, giving visitors a chance to view the moon before and after sunset (weather permitting). This week is also the peak viewing time for the annual Perseid Meteor shower, where we can anticipate 50-70 meteors per hour.
In the event of cloudy skies, programming will be inside the facilities.
Wear long pants/sleeves. It may be summer, but the temperature can cool down in the evenings, and you’re not moving around very much while observing. Wear bug spray. It’s a good idea to protect yourself from mosquitoes and you’ll enjoy the time more if you’re not having to swat away bugs. But please do not spray bug spray near the telescopes. Apply it beforehand or briefly walk away from the telescopes to spray.
You can learn more about this event by going to https://z.umn.edu/darkskycaravan