March 1-3, 2024

Death Valley Dark Sky Festival

We will be assisting with the Death Valley National Park Dark Sky Festival to take place Friday-Sunday March 1-3.
Our primary responsibilities will be to staff a booth with live demos and educational information at their Science Expo,
run two Astronomy on Tap events (Friday and Saturday nights), and staff an astrophysicist Q&A panel on Sunday.

DVNP will provide us with gas money to cover our transportation and a campsite for each of us in the educator
section of the Texas Springs campsite, adjacent to where all program activities will occur at Furnace Creek.
Drive time from Caltech to Furnace Creek is about 4.5-5h depending on the route and time of day. I would plan to leave
sometime on the morning of Friday, Feb 25 to avoid traffic and arrive prior to the Astronomy on Tap event at 7:30PM.
Note that Astronomy on Tap is being held in Stovepipe Wells on Friday night, which is about 30 minutes drive from where we're camping
and where all the rest of the Dark Sky Festival activities are taking place.

There are >12 of us attending, which should allow for everyone to only work one "day shift" of 2-3h at the
Science Expo in addition to the Star Party. I'd like to have several volunteers for Astronomy on Tap, if possible
who could watch the talks, help with setup, and perhaps operate telescopes during/afterwards.
The rest of the time would be open for hiking and exploring the park.

The science demos that we will operate at the Science Expo will be (1) "Build a Comet" using dry ice to show what composes a comet;
and (2) parabolic marshmallow igniter where we show how telescopes work to collect light from the Sun and focus it.
We will also bring the good solar telescope (Coronado half-angstrom H-alpha) to show views of the Sun.
I'll show everyone how to operate these demos, but they're super fun.
For the Astronomy on Taps, we will plan to have a few telescopes set up outside, including the Dobsonians (8", 10") as well as my own private eVscope
We can also bring some laser pointers to help point things out.

Everyone needs to have their own camping equipment (or teaming up with a buddy).
Temperatures in Death Valley in March are pleasant during the day but can be cold
and breezy at night (forecast at bottom). You will want a tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, etc. You can rent
these at the Caltech Y, or REI, or bring your own. The campsite is about 20 meters away
from where we will park, so you don't need to haul it very far. There are bathrooms and
running potable water about 2 minutes from the campsite.

Friday, March 1

- Drive to DVNP Texas Spring (~4.5 hours) in morning
- Set up camp
- Free time to hike around and explore
- *Get to Stovepipe Wells for Astronomy on Tap by 7:00PM (not all are required but it will be fun!)
- Help run Astronomy on Tap - *Help people observe with telescopes at/after Astro on Tap
- Drive back to Texas Spring Educator Campsite (30min) and sleep

Saturday, March 2

- Team 1: Do live science demo and operate booth at outdoor Science Fair (10AM-4PM)
- Team 1a: Shift 10AM-1PM
- Team 1b: Shift 1PM-4PM
- Team 2: Have the day off to explore and hike!
- Dinner with all other educators -- Free food (w/ vegan options) @ Cow Creek Volleyball Court (5PM-630PM)
- Help run Astronomy on Tap at Furnace Creek's Wildrose Tavern @ 7:30PM
- Camp in Texas Spring Educator Campsite

Sunday, March 3

- Team 1: Have the day off to explore and hike!
- Team 2: Do live science demo and operate booth at outdoor Science Fair (10AM-2PM)
- Team 2a: Shift 10AM-12PM
- Team 2b: Shift 12PM-2PM
- Drive back home (~4.5 hours) in evening

What you need to do:

- Sign up for which session you'll work and which car you'll ride in (or if you can drive).
- Acquire necessary camping gear for next week.
- Plan on what you and your crew want to do during your off time in terms of hiking or attending other Dark Sky Festival activities.
- Get ready to have a good time

Hiking Ideas:

- Zabriskie Point--beautiful badlands and sight from Star Wars scene
- Badwater Basin--lowest point in the Western Hemisphere
- Mesquite Dunes--expansive sand dunes
- Golden Canyon--cool canyon hike
- Artist's Palette--colorful hillsides
- Dante's View--view over Badwater Basin
- Sidewinder Canyon--slot canyons so narrow that it's nighttime dark
- Funeral Slot Canyon--cool slots hiked just out of our own campground

Lots lots more, so ask me for tips.

Links:

- Sign up page for rides and session you'll work
- Information and Schedule of Death Valley Dark Sky Festival
- Furnace Creek Visitor's Center Where the science expo and most festival events will occur
- Educator Campsite at Texas Spring Where we'll camp (running potable water and bathrooms are present; 10 min walk to Furnace Creek)
- Badwater Saloon Where Astro on Tap is happening Friday night (30 min from campsite)
- Weather forecast for Texas Spring Campground
- Stater Bros Grocery Store in Mojave Good for getting groceries on the way!