Images and Thoughts about Astronomy
and the Environment

Photography and text by Gary A. Becker

Click on the photos to make them larger.

	Members of the fall 1999 Dieruff Academy Field Experience gather for the only group photograph of the September 25 to October 5 trip. Back row L-R: Jesse Leayman, Dave Nonnemaker, Kevin Falk, Dan Schaffer... Middle row L-R: Adam Kraynak, Nina Lewis, Kenneth Eck, Ashley Donchez, Rachel Harmony, Nicole Troxell... Front kneeling L-R: Jose Negron, William Strauss... We were in Natural Bridges National Monument, near Blanding, Utah
Flying into Albuquerque, NM almost feels like coming home. With a sun index of 98/100 the crystal blue sky against the Sandia Peaks in the background is a natural draw to most travelers who arrive from much wetter climates. The lower humidity and warmer temperatures doesn't hurt either.
	The morning of October 6 saw us greet the stars and the moon about two hours before sunrise. By 7 a.m., we were already hiking in the Malpai across the lava beds and along the same trail that had been used for centuries by the Acoma Indians. About 20 minutes before sunrise, a blush sky carried with it the setting moon.
Dan Schaffer stands, arms waving, beckoning everyone up the pressure ridge which marks the Continental Divide. In back of Schaffer water drains towards the Pacific. Where the photograph was taken was still on the eastern side. The darkness of the lava is about how reflective the moon's surface would be to an astronaut standing on its surface.
	The 1-1/2 mile trek to Delicate Arch in Arches National Park (Moab, UT) was completed just after sunset. We encountered hordes of Europeans returning from the arch, telling us that we had missed it all. However, the time just after sunset can cause the rocks to reflect the sky colors with a subtle beauty. You be the judge. I don't think we missed anything here. We returned by moonlight.
After only four hours of sleep we were up again and headed to the Tag-A-Long Expeditions office in Moab. The Cataract Canyon river trip began about 10 miles south of Moab. The J-rig inflatable craft was being loaded here. There was a sense of nervousness and excitement that soon gave way to exhilaration. We used the latrine for the last time and were on our way.
	The water was a cold 58 degrees Fahrenheit, but that didn't stop an intrepid group of Dieruff students from taking the plunge less than 15 minutes after we had started. The shivers of the returning cadre, intensified by the dry breeze, gave testimony to the fact that fall had seeped into the Southwest.
"Is this school, or am I dreaming?" Rachel Harmony warms up and catches a few rays to enhance her summer tan that had begun to wane. Although there was not a lot of free time for students, there were some lazy moments along the river that made them rejoice at being alive.
	Renaissance man, Jesse Leayman, takes a break from a cold swim in the Colorado. Currently majoring in pre-med., Jesse hopes to one day join the astronaut corps and practice medicine aboard the International Space Station. His former astronomy teacher, Gary A. Becker, can be seen in the reflection of Jesse's sunglasses, if you enlarge the image by clicking on it.
Our camp the first night was made about 25 miles downstream on a sandbar that had been formed during the spring floods. No sooner had we made landfall, the sun disappeared behind the canyon walls, and temperatures fell rapidly. The wind was also a problem making it difficult to secure our tents. After dark, however, the moonlight on the sand made our islands look like a winter wonderland covered by a new snowfall.
	Okay, we knew you had to be thinking about this on a four night river trip. Yup, liquids went into the Colorado. It was a requirement of the National Park Service. The reason was to help increase nitrates in the depleted river waters. For the ladies, it was a little more complicated. First into the can, then into the river. The code phrase was, "I have to go smiling." Aaaaah! Now you know!
And then for solid waste elimination, there was the "groover," that yellow tent in back of Rachel Harmony. It was a room with a view, and sometimes a boat did pass by. David Nonemaker shows what it was like to "groove" at night. Rachel demonstrates the antibacterial hand wash routine which occurred after every "grooving" session. Groovy, huh!
	Nina Lewis, a veteran of at least a half dozen field experiences, gazes out towards the Big Loop, a large bend in the Colorado just north of the beginning of Cataract Canyon. At this point the normally horizontal rock strata slowly begins to dip indicating the presence of underground forces that are slowly distorting the rock layers.
We hiked over the red rock of the canyon to the other side of the Big Loop while our boat motored around to rejoin our group. Here Rachel Harmony, Nina Lewis, and Jesse Leayman surveyed the calm before the storm of 26 rapids that we were to encounter over the next two days.
	Jesse Leayman surveys our campsite on the second night. It's that indentation of green about one mile downstream. The rock upon which he is standing came from a landslide which occurred on the other side of the river. The Colorado had once been naturally dammed here. During an unknown titanic flood in the past, the dam had been breached and the lake drained.
Sunset in the canyon always occurred earlier and sunrises later leaving the valley land shadowed for much longer periods of time. Our camp was a cozy enclave of activity nestled among protective foliage which hugged the river. In the evening, the backbone of the Milky Way arched over the river's course against a sky so black that even the faintest constellations looked brilliant and easily discernible.
	River running does not mean doing without. We enjoyed the amenities of tables, chairs, stove cooked camp meals, hot and cold beverages, and all of the food you could eat. Everyone participated, from the cleaning of utensils and plates, to camp setup, and even moving the groover to an out-of-the-way private location.
The fire line is the traditional way to off-load equipment and everyone became quite good at it within a short period of time. The boat could be emptied in as little as 10 minutes. Loading up the next morning was a slower process because items had to be stowed in certain locations to insure that everything fit. This took about an hour. Nina Lewis, Rachel Harmony, Ashley Donchez, and Jose Negron help to reload the boat.
	While the fire line was in operation stowing the kitchen, others broke camp and packed their personal belongings in waterproof bags. Each student received two bags, one for clothing, and the other for sleeping gear. In addition, everyone got a waterproof ammo case for personal items that could be accessed during the day while on the river.
John Weisheit was our chief guide. His enthusiasm for the environment and preserving one of America's greatest wilderness retreats was contagious. It was impossible not to feel his pride and his anguish over the river he loved. While reading a poem to us about the misuse of the Colorado, his voice broke several times. John had to stop and compose himself before continuing. Tears welled in his eyes. Time slowed. We felt his sorrow and his anticipation for a better future.
	Are we happy yet? The ride was over, and yes, everyone was happy. We had just finished rapid 26 and Sherry, our driver, thought that it might be fun to go back and try it again. This time, however, she suggested that we do it backwards. We could repeat the fun because we had an outboard motor on our raft.
Oh yes... How big was that wave ahead? Actually the river was relatively tame on our trip. We learned that water surges as high as 40 feet can occur during floods. That wave still gave us a great thrill. Note how the rock strata of the canyon wall was tilted upwards in a giant anticline. This displacement has caused numerous slides which have filled the river with debris creating Cataract Canyon.
	Jose Negron (insert) was last seen riding forward on the smaller raft that accompanied us. John Weisheit skillfully guided the boat with oars. What has created Cataract Canyon? The movement of salt deposits underneath the river has warped the canyon walls upward causing the them to crumble into the river.
Caught in faster moving water, the smaller raft shot past as we watched from an eddy. The camera followed the craft freezing the actions of the people but creating the effect of motion in the water. This picture was truly a winner.
	Yo, get your butt around. John maneuvers the craft so it again points down stream. The rocks near the water's edge are testimony to the many slides that have raised the water level of the river by as much as 200 feet. This debris, set in motion by the flow of huge salt deposits underneath, continues to clog the channel, creating the swift and tumultuous waters of the cataracts.
Oh, my God... Wild Water Kingdom at Dorney Park was never so much fun. John navigates his raft into some white water in the vicinity of rapid 20. Usually the larger J-rig craft went first. Often Sherry would then motor us into a quiet spot, sometimes very near to swift water to watch John shoot the rapids. If conditions permitted, I was allowed to grab my camera gear and photograph.
	If I live, I promise never to be bad again... I'll treat my parents with respect and stop tormenting my younger sister, and I'll always do my homework every night... Honest, I will... HONEST!
I lived. Now I can go back to my wicked ways. With the 26th rapid negotiated, our trip through Cataract Canyon had finally come to a conclusion. We still had one more day of motoring on the calm waters of Lake Powell, before disembarking at Hite Marina. We celebrated that night with a steak and potatoes dinner.
	It was amazing to see how John and Sherry could create a full and satisfying lunch in about 15 minutes. On this occasion we had pieta pockets filled with chicken salad, mixed with lettuce and tomatoes, and all the leftovers stowed away from previous meals. These were the last victuals of our river trip.
The Castle at Square Tower ruin in Hovenweep National Monument was used to create a sun calendar around 1250 AD by the Anasazi Indians. Ports (holes in the stone wall) were aligned so that the summer and winter solstice sun cast light markers on door lintels opposite to the ports. The sun saw the large doorway to the left as a slit on the first day of spring and fall, casting a dagger of light on the floor which pointed to the eastern corner of the room.
	Darby Bramble, a seasonal ranger at Hovenweep (above), guided us into the canyon past Square Tower ruin. Hovenweep has several tower and castle like features giving it a slightly medieval look. However, no armored knights ever rode through the canyons. Instead Hovenweep may have been an area into which Indians moved as drought conditions of the thirteenth century worsened.
The last four days of the field experience were spent at Chaco Culture National Historical Park, about 150 miles to the northwest of Albuquerque, NM. Rachel Harmony stands near one of the most famous pictographs in the Southwest. Above and to her right on an overhang is a painting of a star, a crescent moon, and a hand, what many interpreters believe to represent the great supernova of 1054 AD.
	A closer view of the supernova pictograph... The event would have been first seen about 3:30 a.m. MST on July 5, 1054 AD. The Chinese recorded the event about 11 hours later, including the location of the star in the sky and the placement of the waning crescent, much farther away from the brilliant new luminary. The discovery was made about 25 years ago during a park survey.
About 10 years later someone noticed another very faint pictograph below the supernova pictograph. It is a sun symbol followed by a fiery tail. Twelve years after the supernova, another major astronomical apparition occurred. Halley's Comet made an unusually close approach to Earth, and must have been brilliant as seen from such a dark and clear location such as Chaco Canyon. The comet is also credited with providing a psychological boost to William's invasion of England.
	When looking at the supernova pictograph, you have to face towards the cliff and look up. The event actually took place to the rear. When turned around, the observer is presented with an excellent eastern horizon from which sunrises could have easily been observed. Although the insert is too large, computer models of the event show almost exactly what it depicts. The hand has been shown to have pointed to the location of the star visible for 23 days in broad daylight.
Jesse Leayman heads back to camp, followed by Rachel Harmony, and Adam Kraynak. The hike to the supernova pictograph is now about seven miles round-trip. It was at one time three miles shorter, but the Park Service changed the north entrance route to allow it to first pass the Visitors' Center. Pot hunters returning to the Park after dark were picking the grounds clean.
	One of the most interesting hikes in Chaco Canyon is the Pueblo Alto Trail. It is a seven mile loop which takes you to the mesa top through a fracture in canyon walls. The hike provides the opportunity to see the Jackson Stairway, one of several exit routes which Chacoan Indians took to leave and enter the canyon.
Near the town of New Alto on the mesa top, we found a rock decorated with pottery shards. The artifacts give testimony to the fact that most of the canyon has not been even partially explored. Anywhere you dig, anywhere you look, you're going to find something. For the tourist, the trick is not to take anything along with you. Leave it where you found it for others to discover.
	In front of Adam Kraynak across the canyon is the Jackson Stairway. Indians traveling north from Pueblo Bonito or Chetro Ketl to the dozens of outlying towns that were controlled by Chacoan world could come up the wash and climb out using the stairs. To see the stairway clearly, click on the image to make it larger.
Jesse Leayman added to the spectacular scenery along the Pueblo Alto Trail by climbing the large rock on which he is standing. No, there wasn't a ladder on the other side or an easy way up. The view looks east across the side canyon that connects the Jackson Stairway with Chetro Ketl and towards Fajada Butte in the far distance.
	Pueblo Bonito, the "beautiful village," stands in silent testimony to the architectural abilities of the Anasazi Indians. The semi-circular structure containes over 800 rooms and 40 circular kivas. Bonito remained the largest single structure in the United States until the mid-eighteenth century. In the upper right side of the photograph South Gap can be seen.
One of the real treats of visiting Pueblo Bonito is the fact that you can walk through many of its rooms. Adam Kraynak looks upward in one of the many three storied rooms that composes part of the southeastern complex of Bonito. The wood, indicating the position of one of the floors is original to the structure. Construction at Pueblo Bonito started about 850 AD and continued until 1175 AD.
	Looking down on the southeastern corner of Bonito shows many of the rooms that are accessible to tourist at the park. Consider that each of the multiple ten of thousands of blocks that compose the many walls of Bonito took about one day to prepare, and you begin to understand the enormity of the project.
On the final day of our visit to Chaco Culture we walked the South Gap loop trail to Tsin Kletsin. The ruin is not all that spectacular, but the five mile hike takes you to some of the most scenic locations in the park. Here we paused to look back into the canyon and enjoy the warmer hues of a lowering sun.