The first sunset of summer was absolutely perfect, particularly for the ~100 people who watched it with West Seattle astronomy educator and NASA volunteer Solar System Ambassador Alice Enevoldsen at Solstice Park.
Both Alice and the sunset got applause:
Once the sun was fully out of view behind the Olympic Mountains, it was time for her to present a version of the interactive lesson she’s given 68 times before, during her solstice and equinox watches.
First, a volunteer was chosen to represent the sun:
Everybody else had a role to play too, as Alice explained the seasons and how Earth tilts toward and away from the sun:
Here’s our video of her entire presentation:
It’s always followed by Q&A time, so if you’ve ever had a sky-watching question, bring it to one of Alice’s sunset watches!
All ages are welcome, and so are well-behaved pets:
If you come to a sunset watch, you’ll also get to see – if the sun cooperates, as it did last night – how the Solstice Park plateau’s paths and marker stones line up with the setting sun on solstice and equinox days. You might even get a sunset selfie.
Set your calendar for Tuesday, September 22, when autumn will arrive, and watch Alice’s website for updates.