(WSB photos)
The Sun was in attendance – not always the case – for astronomy educator Alice Enevoldsen‘s spring-equinox sunset watch last night, as were more than 30 people. For more than 15 years, as part of her role as a volunteer NASA Solar System Ambassador, Alice has led gatherings at West Seattle’s Solstice Park to mark the change of seasons. The park is relevant to those occasions not just because of its name but also because of its paths and markers that line up with the setting sun on equioxes and solstices.
Alice explained how to observe that.
Then, once official sunset time had passed (the sun vanishes a bit early this time of year because of the Lincoln Park forest to the west), Alice reconvened her 30+ attendees in the park plateau’s circle to explain the equinox (with the help of volunteer Decker serving as the Sun).
Alice’s season-change gatherings often also include a look ahead to big space/astronomy events/phenomena happening (or likely to happen) before the next solstice/equinox. This time, she previewed the upcoming Artemis II launch, which will send astronauts to the first Moon flyby in more than 50 years.
As Alice said, the first launch window for Artemis II starts on April 1st, and she hopes to lead a launch-watching gathering when it happens – that will likely be on short notice but we’ll publish where and when as soon as we hear. Meantime, Alice’s next change-of-seasons sunset watch will be for the first sunset of summer, Sunday, June 21, 8:30-9:30 pm.
