Stars Of The Show: Dark Sky Stargazing Resumes At Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument June 2

Dark sky stargazing resumes at the Gran Quivira unit at Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument. Courtesy/NPS

NPS News:

MOUNTAINAIR — After cancellations because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this week the popular dark sky stargazing events resume at the Gran Quivira unit at Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument.

The free event is the first dark skies night of the season as the national monument welcomes visitors back at Gran Quivira Thursday, June 2. 

In a state known for dark skies because of less light pollution, Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument stands out as particularly spectacular and was designated an International Dark Sky Park a few years ago by the International Dark Sky Association.

The dark sky events offer a unique vantage point to see the stars and experience a pristine dark sky at Gran Quivira. Park rangers are partnering with the Lake County Astrological Society for an evening of wonder, excitement, and discovery!

“We are thrilled to be able to welcome visitors for another dark sky stargazing event and pleased to once again welcome members of the Lake County Astronomical Society out of Chicago,” said Chief Ranger  Norma Pineda at Salinas National Monument. “The society was instrumental in Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument achieving dark sky status.”

The evening begins with a guided tour through the excavated pueblo and mission church. End the evening with the “stars” of the show, the beautiful night sky.

Just wear comfortable shoes, bring water, bug spray, and your curiosity. The area’s leading astrological experts will be eager to teach and guide you on how to fully experience the night sky.

The program event begins at 7 p.m. and lasts 2.5 hours. No reservations are necessary. No registration required.

FEE: Free

LOCATION: Gran Quivira LAT/LONG: 34.259572, -106.093226

DIRECTIONS: Gran Quivira: Ruins are 26 miles south on N.M. 55

TELEPHONE: (505).847.2770.

EVENT INFORMATION CONTACT: Alex Arnold 505.847.2585 x.220, Chris Arendt 505.847.2770

About Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument:

Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument preserves 17th century Franciscan missions and the pueblo communities they served. Nestled in central New Mexico the abandoned structures of Abó, Quarai, and Gran Quivira stand witness to the history and lives of the once thriving civilizations. From the prehistoric Ancestral Puebloan and Jumano groups to the 17th century Spanish Franciscan missionaries, the returning settlers of the 1800s, and the 19th and 20th century archaeologists and Park Service employees, the people, places, and stories of the Salinas Pueblo Missions make this a special place. Salinas Pueblo Missions was set aside because of the importance of the cultural resources; however, there is a major connecting link to the natural resources. The link is the importance of man’s adjustment to a marginal land and the man-land relationship during the past 1,000+ years of occupation. Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument offers a variety of educational opportunities, both at the park and in the classroom. The three park units, Abó, Quarai, and Gran Quivira, with elevations ranging from 6100 to 6600 feet above sea level, offer many resources and opportunities for students of all ages to explore both prehistoric and historic time periods.

To plan your visit, call the park’s main visitor center at (505).847.2585 to discuss your options and schedule a date and time. https://www.nps.gov/sapu

About Gran Quivira:  

The Gran Quivira unit of Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument is the largest of the three units at 611 acres. Prior to Spanish contact, Gran Quivira was a vast city with multiple pueblos, and kivas. Mound 7, a 226-room structure from the Pueblo IV period (A.D.1275/1300-1600), is the largest and only fully excavated pueblo at the site. During the excavation, an older Circular Pueblo was discovered under Mound 7. First contact with the Spanish probably happened in 1583 with the arrival of Don Antonio de Espejo who mentions a settlement that sounds remarkably similar to Gran Quivira. The Spanish returned in 1598 with the expedition of Don Juan de Oñate who was the first Spaniard to colonize what would become New Mexico. Oñate visited a pueblo he called Las Humanas which was the southernmost settlements. As part of the mission system, Las Humanas (Gran Quivira) was first placed under the Pecos Mission District. Later, with the arrival of Fray Alonso de Benavides in 1626, Gran Quivira was given more attention and later became a visita (a satellite mission without a resident Father) of Abó in 1629. That same year construction began on the first permanent mission at Gran Quivira. Under the supervision of Fray Francisco Letrado, rooms on the west end of Mound 7 (Letrado’s Convento) were used by the Spanish for housing and probably an early chapel. Letrado was moved to the Zuni Pueblo in 1631 and Gran Quivira came under the control of Fray Francisco de Acevedo at the Abó Mission. Construction on Iglesia de San Isidro was completed in 1635. In 1659 Fray Diego de Santander was permanently assigned to Gran Quivira. Soon after, construction on a new larger church, San Buenaventura, began. By 1672 a combination of disease, drought, famine, and Apache raiding led to the abandonment of Gran Quivira. https://www.nps.gov/sapu/learn/historyculture/gran-quivira.htm

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