VIRTUAL NATURE EVENTS? There have been quite a few to enjoy in recent months. You can meet critters you might never see while on a trail, thanks to a ranger talk (where, fingers crossed, the critter in question is present). You can understand the root system of an old tree while watching an online presentation or check in on a powerful waterfall, and discover the science behind it. And seeing a peaceful spot you love, and want to return to one day, during a wilderness-themed Zoom? It can tug your heartstrings, fill your mind with memories, and almost make you want to crawl through the screen, if such a thing were possible.
AND A NATURE-BASED EVENT... is coming right up, in mid-August, in its new virtual form. The twist on this one? While you won't be in Lassen Volcanic National Park for its virtual Dark Sky Festival, you can join a Facebook watch party from afar. The dates are Aug. 14 and 15, there will be intriguing "interviews with astronomers and scientists," and a chance to revel in "the wonders of the night sky." An in-person experience isn't possible, due to the pandemic, in 2020, but connecting with the Milky Way, as it is seen and appreciated from the oh-so-low-lit Lassen Volcanic National Park, is absolutely going to happen for many national park fans and lovers of the evening dome. While you await...
THE 2021 GATHERING, and a more traditional, in-person Dark Sky celebration, join the 2020 virtual get-together, and share your look-up interests with astronomy aficionados from all over.
