Environment

Supermoon Illuminates Sky Over Los Alamos

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There is an amazing spectacle in the sky tonight as the first supermoon in almost 70 years appears. In fact, if you’re younger than 68 you have never witnessed this record-breaking supermoon in your lifetime. Tomorrow morning, Nov. 14, the moon will be the closest it has been to Earth since 1948. It will appear 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than the average monthly full moon. The next supermoon is scheduled to appear Nov. 25, 2034. A supermoon typically refers to the concurrence of two phenomena. One is when the moon is within 90 percent of its closest position to Earth in its orbit. Since Read More

Letter To The Editor: PEEC Thanks Organizers, Volunteers And Runners Of Pajarito Trail Fest

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By KATHERINE WATSON
Executive Director, PEEC

The Pajarito Environmental Education Center would like to thank the organizers, volunteers and runners of the Pajarito Trail Fest race for once again donating a portion of the proceeds to PEEC to help get kids outside.  

The Trail Fest is an amazing event for our community. Not only is it well-run, providing excellent support and fun for the participants, it gives back to many community groups. This year they gave out a total of $5,500. 

In the spirit of the Trail Fest, PEEC will use the funds given to get kids outside on the trails, both Read More

Amateur Naturalist: Surface Geology Of Cerros Del Abrigo

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Amateur Naturalist: The Surface Geology of the Cerros Del Abrigo
By Robert Dryja
 
The Valles Caldera reflects both the impact of human activity and the resilience of nature to recover. The most direct human impact is seen in the logging roads cut in parallel for hundreds of miles upon the mountains. The indirect impact is seen in the intensity and magnitude of the Las Conchas forest fire. The Las Conchas forest fire may not have been so great if smaller, repeated fires over the earlier years had been permitted to occur.
 
Smaller fires would have consumed the
Read More

New Flesh-Eater Identified In NM Triassic Quarry

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Matt Celeskey, New Mexico exhibit designer and natural history illustrator created this reconstruction of Vivaron haydeni, from a few pieces of 200-million-years-old remains found at Ghost Ranch in Northern New Mexico. Courtesy image
 

By ROGER SNODGRASS
Los Alamos Daily Post

For many years the area around Ghost Ranch in Northern New Mexico has been spooked by phantom monsters and the specter of death. The spirit of the area was captured in the iconic cow skull motif in Georgia O’Keefe’s paintings, inspired by what was for her a common, everyday object.

Legends of wizards and witches Read More

Outing To Area Of Cretaceous Age Sharks’ Teeth

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Shark’s teeth similar to the ones that can be found on the trip with geologist Patrick Rowe. Courtesy/PEEC
 
PEEC News:
 
Shark teeth in New Mexico? Saturday, Nov. 19, local geologist Patrick Rowe will lead an outing to Cabezon in search of fossils.
 
Participants can expect to find shark teeth from the Cretaceous Period. The group will meet at 8 a.m. at the Los Alamos Nature Center before carpooling to the site. This program is organized by the Pajarito Environmental Education Center (PEEC).
 
It’s hard to imagine New Mexico was once under the sea, but during the Cretaceous
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Warm Weather Delays Sipapu Ski Resort’s Opening

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Snowmaking machine. Photo by Sipapu Ski Resort/Albert Graves

SKI News:

Vadito — Sipapu Ski Resort officials announce the ski area is delaying its opening a week due to unseasonably warm weather.  The resort was originally scheduled to open Saturday, Nov. 12, one of the earliest openings in resort history.

A high pressure system over the western US has delayed the opening dates for many ski areas already. Temperatures are now getting cooler, which makes it ideal for snowmaking efforts.  Colder temperatures allowed Sipapu’s mountain crews to make snow Tues., Nov. 8 and they Read More

SFNF Completes 2016 Objectives In SF Watershed

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SFNF News:
 
SANTA FE ― After assessing the positive outcome of the prescribed burn in the Santa Fe Municipal Watershed, fire managers on the Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) announced that resource objectives for 2016 have been met and there will be no more ignitions in the Watershed this year.
 
Fire crews used hand and aerial ignitions Oct. 12 and Oct. 13 to burn approximately 75 percent of the 2,435-acre planning area. Over the following week, low-intensity fire continued to burn within the perimeter of the planning area and completed the remaining 25% of the planned
Read More

Water Right Owners Town Hall Meeting Nov. 14

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Rep. Carl Trujillo
 
COMMUNITY News:
 
Rep. Carl Trujillo is hosting an informational Town Hall meeting for water right owners at 6:30-8:30 p.m., Nov. 14 at the Pojoaque Middle School Auditorium.
 
As the Aamodt Water Settlement comes closer to being entered into final decree, water right owners will be receiving many different packets from the Federal Court.

During the meeting, Trujillo will explain what it means to the water right owners of the Nambe-Pojoaque-Tesuque Basin. Anyone who owns a well in Pojoaque, Nambe, El Rancho, Jacona, Read More

Nature Center Talk: How To Use And Buy Telescopes

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Akkana Peck with her favorite telescope. Courtesy/PEEC 

PEEC News:

Thinking about buying a telescope this holiday season? Wanting to learn more about telescopes? At 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15, Akkana Peck and David North will discuss telescopes: the different types, what each type is good for, how to select a telescope, and how to use one to observe the moon, planets, and faint deep sky objects.

This is a free presentation and stargazing event at the Los Alamos Nature Center.

Weather permitting; participants will be able to turn theory into practice after the talk, when Read More