SEASON 5 // EPISODE 2: SUN WATCHING
Sun and Shadow.
Some of the most well known celestial alignments within ancestral sites correspond with the annual movement of the sun along the horizon throughout the year - especially on the Solstices and Equinoxes. And one of the most famous is the Sun Dagger at Chaco Canyon.
“These places in Chaco and Mesa Verde, these house alignments with the sun and the moon, they were very, very important and they’re still honored and respected today.”
In this episode, Octavius Seowtewa (Zuni) and Curtis Quam (Zuni) talk about the connection that the Zuni people have with the sun and skyscape, and how these traditions that began with their ancestors in the Mesa Verde region still live on today at Zuni.
Dr. Erica Ellingson, Professor in the Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences at the University of Colorado, and Ranger Spencer Burke, Park Ranger and Visual Information Specialist at Mesa Verde National Park, talk about some of the most prominent sun watching sites in the Ancestral Pueblo world - the Sun Dagger at Chaco Canyon and the Solstice Panel at Hovenweep.
Looking for more?
Well, you’ve come to the right place.
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.
THE SUN DAGGER AT CHACO
While the Sun Dagger no longer function as it was originally intended to, interpretation tools at Chaco Culture National Historical Park allow visitors to interact with digital 3D renderings of the space, to virtually experience the Sun Dagger during each of the phenomena that it documents.
The video at right, produced by The Solstice Project, shows this interpretive tool. Click the links below to learn more about Chaco, its dark skies, and its other sky watching occurrences.
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
HOVENWEEP NATIONAL MONUMENT
Located about 55 miles west of Mesa Verde National Park, Hovenweep was also home to Ancestral Pueblo people within the Mesa Verde region, and also contains solar alignments similar to those at Chaco. Visitors are able to experience some of these solar alignments at places like Holly House.
Visit the park website for more information about this phenomenon, and what you can expect if you plan to visit.
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.
