You are here

UPDATED: Hoodoos, Winter Solstice, and Lunar Eclipse Converge At Bryce Canyon National Park

Share

A full moon on Tuesday, which marks the Winter Solstice, makes Bryce Canyon the place to be to observe a total lunar eclipse. NPS and NASA photos.

The convergence of the winter solstice, a full lunar eclipse, and some of the country's darkest night skies make Bryce Canyon National Park the place to be on Monday.

The unique event has Bryce Canyon officials planning a special evening of moon gazing above the hoodoos in the park.

“Whether or not you’ve been to an astronomy show at Bryce Canyon before, it’s worth braving the cold for this one, because we won’t have a total lunar eclipse on the winter solstice for another 391 years!” points out park Superintendent Jeff Bradybaugh. "Though total lunar eclipses can be seen about every five years in North
America, the next one to happen on the winter solstice, which is the shortest day of the year and when Earth is closest to our Sun, won’t be until December 21, 2401!"

While a full moon usually puts a damper on star gazing, the fact that an eclipse will be under way will provide a particularly unusual and interesting night for observing the celestial heavens.

“Full moons are so bright that usually they’re the enemy of stargazing," noted "dark ranger" Joel Allen. "However, as the moon eclipses, you’ll get the best of both worlds—the romance of a full moon, and the starry splendor of an ultra-dark sky.”

The evening events begin at 5:30 p.m. with a full moon hike among the hoodoos led by Dark Ranger Kevin Poe. Attendance is capped at 30 participants, ages 6 and up. The hike is moderately strenuous and will last about two hours.

Stop by the Bryce Canyon Visitor Center (open daily, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) or call (435-834-4747) to reserve a spot on this hike. Hiking boots are required for all participants on moonlight hikes. Because hiking trails have patches of snow and ice, traction devices are highly recommended. Visitors may purchase traction devices
at the Bryce Canyon Visitor Center for $25, if they so desire.

The second event will be a pre-eclipse moon viewing through large telescopes on the Bryce Canyon Visitor Center patio. This will take place from 10:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Be sure to dress warmly as nighttime temperatures will dip well below freezing.

Beginning at 10:30 p.m. in the visitor center auditorium, Dark Rangers Allen and Poe will present a one-hour multimedia program called, “All I Want for Solstice is Our Moon to Come Back!” In addition to explaining how eclipses work, this presentation highlights the science and mythology of how the Moon came to be, life’s dependence on the Moon, and human exploration of that lunar neighbor.

The grand finale of the evening will take place from 11:30 p.m. to 12:40 a.m. Visitors will be invited back to the large telescopes outside to view the “disappearing” Moon as it is slowly eclipsed by Earth’s shadow.

“Still looking for the perfect gift for that person who has everything? Why not bring them to our Eclipse Extravaganza here at Bryce Canyon, the Last Grand Sanctuary of Natural Darkness!" said Ranger Poe. “This will not be the only astronomy presentation Bryce Canyon offers during this holiday season - but it will be the best one!”

The other three astronomy presentations will be Friday, December 24, Tuesday, December 28, and Friday, December 31. All three will be held at the Bryce Canyon Visitor Center and all three will start at 7:00p.m., followed by stargazing - weather permitting. All events are free of charge, though the park entrance fee is $25.00 – good for up to a seven-day visit at Bryce Canyon National Park.

National passes like the Interagency Annual Pass, Senior Pass, and Access Pass waive the entrance fee.

Be sure to dress warmly—with lots of layers—for these events. Free hot apple cider and cocoa will be provided for attendees of these events.

Comments

"Dark Ranger. . . ." I LOVE that!


The national park rangers at Bryce Canyon are doing an exceptional job promoting the value of a dark and starry night and making the park visitor aware of the wonders of the "other half" of their park.


Add comment

CAPTCHA

This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.