When you wish upon a star

… IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE WHERE YOU ARE

BY JOANNA BASTIAN

The Methow Valley is home to the region’s clearest and darkest night skies — where the Milky Way can be gazed upon by the naked eye. The valley is surrounded by wilderness areas that rate a Class 2 on the Bortle scale — a “Typical Truly Dark Site” rating. Plan a summer night viewing stars and celestial events with the Methow Dark Sky Coalition. Visit methowdarksky.org homepage and scroll down to “Plan Your Methow Dark Sky Viewing” for local tips on prime viewing spots, a light pollution map, summer star gazing events, and NASA Skywatching tips.

to midnight. Bring sleeping bags and blankets to keep warm, and opt to spend a summer night under a dark sky. Bring a good pair of binoculars, and a friend with a telescope.

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L OCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

The best night sky viewing locations are away from town lights with an unobstructed view of the sky. Finding such a location can be a challenge in forested, mountainous terrain. The Local Light Pollution Map linked on the Methow Dark Sky home page shows which clustered areas emit the most light pollution. Luckily for the Methow Valley, these areas are small and localized, easy to avoid while stargazing. Use the Light Pollution Map to plan a star viewing night unobscured by city lights.

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Le Wis Butte

Nestled in the Rendezvous Wildlife Area, Lewis Butte is conveniently located close to town, yet far enough away to enjoy a dark theater of celestial views. The Department of Natural Resources parking area is located on Gunn Ranch Road. A Discover Pass is required. The easiest access to dark sky viewing is to follow the short trails to the south overlooking the

Methow Valley. For more expansive views, ascend the Lewis Butte trail located across from the parking area on the north side of Gunn Ranch Road. A well-marked trail climbs 900 feet to the summit of Lewis Butte. The hillside is an open landscape with excellent views of the night sky wherever a stargazer chooses to stop and take it all in.

■ S UN MOUNTAIN LODGE stargazing lies 14 miles north of Mazama. NF 5400 is the highest elevation road in Washington state and is hazardous in places. For this reason, no trailers are allowed. Always check the road conditions before traveling on forest service roads.

The grounds surrounding the lodge offers easy access to great views in all directions. The lodge is an excellent example of dark sky friendly lighting.

Plan an overnight stay at the Meadows Campground. Close to the campground is a flat astronomy pad for telescopes. Continue up the road to a small parking area and enjoy a short hike to the summit of Slate Peak.

■ S TARGAZING TIPS

Check out the viewing site before dark to become familiar with the lay of the land. As darkness falls, be mindful of any light source that could disturb the stargazing of fellow night sky enthusiasts. Turn your phone to the lowest brightness setting. If opting for headlamps and flashlights, use the red light setting. Better yet, just let your eyes adjust to the darkness without depending on a light source. You’ll be surprised at how much you can see after twenty minutes of letting your eyes adjust.

■ E VENTS

Throughout the month of May, the Eta Aquarids meteor showers are viewed in the early morning hours before dawn. In the northern hemisphere, meteors appear as “Earthgrazers” — traveling along the horizon, although they can be seen across the night sky. The American Meteor Society predicts the maximum rate during peak days will be 50 an hour.

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Earrygin Lake State Park

Just outside of Winthrop, Pearrygin Lake State Park has star f riendly skies and camping accommodations. When weather and staffing permits, the park rangers hold Saturday night star tours in late summer.

■ S WEET GRASS BUTTE

A former fire lookout, Sweet Grass Butte east of Winthrop offers unobstructed views of the night sky in all directions. To get there, travel along the West Chewuch Road to Cub Creek Road NF 5200 and follow the spur roads to Sweet Grass Butte, a large open meadow at the summit. Take a map, as the route is not fully signed.

■ HAR TS PASS AND

Slate Peak

The crown jewel of Methow Valley

The best nights to catch all the celestial events in action are the ones closest to new moon phase. Ideal viewing conditions are typically between the third quarter and first quarter moon. The Weather Underground phone app has moon phases and hourly darkness ratings, along with weather forecast — which you’ll also want to know before spending a night under the stars. The website timeanddate.com has detailed times for astronomical darkness.

Download an astronomical application on a mobile phone for an interpretive guide to the night sky. Methow Dark Sky Coalition board member Dean Kurath recommends “Sky Tonight” and “Star Walk,” two applications that show constellations, planets and more.

Plan on a late night. Methow Valley’s position in the northern latitudes delays a truly dark night until close

The famed Perseid meteor showers make their annual showing in August. Just in time for the return of astronomer Shane Larson to the Methow Valley. On Aug. 1, Larson is the featured speaker of the Methow Conservancy’s First Tuesday program. On Aug. 4, he will host the Community Star Party. Both events are free and open to the public. For more information, visit methowconservancy.org.

Methow Dark Sky’s Kurath shares his favorite place to look in the summer sky, the galactic core located in the constellation Sagittarius: “This is visible low on the southern sky as a faint glow, partially obscured by galactic dust clouds. This region is home to the super massive black hole at the center of the Milky Way.”

Look to the www.methowdarksky.org website for upcoming presentations, Star Parties, and the M ilky Way social club gatherings.

INFORMATION CENTERS

TWISP: 997-2926; 201 Methow Valley Highway (Methow Valley Community Center)

WINTHROP: 996-2125 or (888) 463-8469; 49 Highway 20; 202 Riverside Ave.

NEED A PLACE TO STAY?

METHOW RESERVATIONS: 996-2148 or (800) 422-3048; www. methowreservations.com; info@ methowreservations.com

OPEN LATE

HANK’S MINI MARKET: 410 E. Methow Valley Highway, Twisp;