On October 14th, 2023, something truly extraordinary is happening in Gold Butte National Monument that will make your visit even more memorable. As we celebrate National Public Lands Day, nature has an awe-inspiring spectacle in store for us – the 2023 solar annular eclipse. While Gold Butte is not in the direct path of the..
It is almost that time of year for the much beloved Perseid meteor shower. This year it will be active from July 17 to August 24 with the peak around August 11/12. The “experts” tell you to look at the constellation Perseus as the radiant point, but I say just get your best lounge chair,..
Dave WardNovember, 2020 Winter may bring short, cold days, but on a clear frosty night the brightest stars of the year dazzle us. If you really want to see them in their glory, be sure to get away from distracting lights. The stars, bright though they may be, can not compete with Rudolf’s blinking red..
It is that time of year where the Milky Way (actually The Carina–Sagittarius Arm, but that is a subject for another time) emerges from its winter in the Southern Hemisphere and begins to show its galactic center in our northern latitudes. Starting in February it rises in the South-East around 2 AM and rises earlier each..
When night falls out at Gold Butte N.M., do not just crawl into your tent and give up on the natural beauty of our scenic national monument. Some of the best treasures of our public lands in remote places come on display after dark. If you are enjoying a campfire, step away from it for..
The Winter night sky over Gold Butte National Monument is filled with the brightest stars that we can see all year long. I know it is cold out there, but cold air is actually much clearer than warm air so the stars will shine like you have never seen them before. Maybe you just want..
Below is a Gold Butte National Monument area dark skies map. Gold butte is only slightly impacted by Las Vegas and Mesquite; so it has minimal light pollution making a good location for amateur astronomers, astrophotography and night skies photography. Here is a link to a full dark skies map for the world: https://darksitefinder.com/maps/world.html#7/36.364/-115.763 — Mitchel..
