All the Glittering Stars.
There are as many names for the stars, planets, and constellations as there are languages and cultures on Earth.
“The night sky is almost like a documentation. It’s kind of like a book”
“Ts’uhaba Moyachu: A:shiwanni means all of the glittering stars.
So none of them is, is omitted within our prayers. ”
In this episode, Ravis Henry (Navajo/Diné) shares the names and meanings for the most prominent stars and constellations for the Navajo people. And Octavius Seowtewa (Zuni) shares some of the names for celestial bodies mentioned in Zuni prayers.
Spencer Burke, Park Ranger and Visual Information Specialist at Mesa Verde National Park, shares some insight about the ways in which the night sky has been an integral part of human lives for thousands of years. And Dr. Erica Ellingson, Professor in the Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences at the University of Colorado, talks about the 1054 Supernova that was witnessed by people around the world, including the people at Chaco during its heyday.
Looking for more?
Well, you’ve come to the right place.
NAVAJO NATION
Today, the Navajo (or Diné) live in Northeastern Arizona, Northwestern New Mexico, and Southeastern Utah. This area is called the Navajo Nation or Navajoland. The Navajo people have called this region home for thousands of years, prior to contact from settlers.
NOTE: If you plan to visit or travel through the Navajo Nation, please check local travel and health guidelines. Be respectful of areas that are off-limits to non-Navajo people and stay on marked roads and trails.
The Great Seal of the navajo nation
ZUNI PUEBLO
Today, the Zuni live in western New Mexico, about 150 miles west of Albuquerque. To learn more about the Zuni people, they invite you to come and learn directly from them in Zuni!
Visit the A:shiwi A:wan Museum and Heritage Center in Zuni, New Mexico to find exhibits and programs telling the story of Zuni - past, present, and future. You can find information about celebrations and feast days that are open to the public, as well as current visitation guidelines on their website by clicking the button below.
CHACO CULTURE NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK
Chaco is also an International Dark Sky Park! To find more information about Chaco Culture National Historical Park - or to plan a visit - check out their website or follow on Facebook.
NOTE: The road at Chaco is prone to washouts. Always check the park website or social media for current road conditions.
The milky way extends above the horizon near fajada butte in chaco canyon // NPS Photo/ betty mayafoot
SHARING THE SKIES
For more information about Navajo stars and star stories, check out the book SHARING THE SKIES: NAVAJO ASTRONOMY by Nancy C. Maryboy (Cherokee/Navajo) and David Begay (Navajo).
This beautifully illustrated book offers comparisons between Greek/Roman/Mediterranean astronomy and traditional Navajo astronomy.
1054 SUPERNOVA
Image Credit: NASA, ESA, J. Hester (Arizona State University)
Description via nasa.gov:
This mosaic image, one of the largest ever taken by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope of the Crab Nebula, is a six-light-year-wide expanding remnant of a star's supernova explosion. Japanese and Chinese astronomers witnessed this violent event nearly 1,000 years ago in 1054, as did, almost certainly, Native Americans.
The orange filaments are the tattered remains of the star and consist mostly of hydrogen. The rapidly spinning neutron star embedded in the center of the nebula is the dynamo powering the nebula's eerie interior bluish glow. The blue light comes from electrons whirling at nearly the speed of light around magnetic field lines from the neutron star. The neutron star, the crushed ultra-dense core of the exploded star, like a lighthouse, ejects twin beams of radiation that appear to pulse 30 times a second due to the neutron star's rotation. The colors in the image indicate the different elements that were expelled during the explosion. Blue in the filaments in the outer part of the nebula represents neutral oxygen, green is singly-ionized sulfur, and red indicates doubly-ionized oxygen.
This work by Rob Pettengill is licensed under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License.
Witnessed and documented around the world, the 1054 Supernova which resulted in the Crab Nebula was potentially documented at Chaco Canyon. The pictograph above features a handprint, a crescent moon (which Chinese accounts indicate a crescent moon phase during the time of the 1054 Supernova), and a circle with rays.
Additional image description from photographer Robert Pettengill:
The lower pictograph is barely visible to the eye today, faded by centuries of exposure to direct sunlight. Saturation and contrast have been enhanced to approximate its original appearance. The long fiery feathered tail suggests a comet to modern eyes. This pictograph has been identified as Haley's Comet of 1066 and also possibly as a total solar eclipse with a very active corona from 1097.
Image Sony RX100 V, processed in Photoshop with enhanced contrast saturation mask.
SKY WATCHING AT MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK
Check out sun, sky, and star watching opportunities in the 100th International Dark Sky Park! Visit Mesa Verde’s park website for information on where to go and how to properly plan for this out-of-this-world experience.
NOTE: Most trails, the backcountry, and all ancestral sites are closed to the public after sunset. Please reference the park website for areas that are open to the public for stargazing, and please visit with respect.
the milky way over morefield campground, mesa verde np // NPS photo / Jacob w frank
LIVING THE SKY: THE COSMOS OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN
By Ray A. Williamson
If you’re looking for additional reading on archeoastronomy, check out LIVING THE SKY: THE COSMOS OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN.
Ray Williamson offers a look into the ways that different Indigenous cultures across the United States have observed and tracked the movement of the sun, moon, and stars.
