With more than 25 telescopes and hosts from across the region, the FREE annual Flagstaff Star Party is offering three nights of star gazing into Northern Arizona’s crisp autumn nights, along with rich presentations tapping into the global cultural wealth of our night sky heritage. The world’s most accessible star party in the First International Dark Sky City is scheduled for 6 – 10 p.m., Thursday through Saturday, Sept. 22 – 24, at Buffalo Park, occurring during Celebration of the Night – a six week season of wonder, discovery and education.

During the three-day Flagstaff Star Party, researcher and sky-watcher Brian Skiff of Lowell Observatory will share what happens as day transitions to night. Guests can gather for his Sunset Talk at 6 p.m., Thursday through Saturday, Sept. 22, 23 and 24, at Buffalo Park.

Opening the 2022 Star Party Twilight Talks is cultural astronomer Dr. Danielle Adams of Lowell Observatory with, “Two Mountains, One Dark Sky: Our Heritage of Indigenous Arabian Astronomy,” at 6:45 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 22, near the entrance of Buffalo Park. Guests can expect an inspiring journey to discover the astronomical knowledge of ancient Arabia and its enduring heritage in some of the star names we use today. With the slow darkening of the twilight sky, Dr. Adams will showcase the importance of dark skies to the development of the rich cultural traditions that connect us to the stars.

At 6:45 p.m., Friday, Sept. 23, archaeologist Ken Zoll, of the Verde Valley Archaeology Center, will present the Twilight Talk, “Star Wounds: The Use of Meteorites Among Ancient Native American Cultures.” From the Hopewell culture in the eastern U.S. to the American Southwest and Northern Mexico, ancient Native American cultures actively engaged in meteorite collecting. Zoll will discuss how fragments from Meteor Crater have been found and used at ancient dwellings in Central Arizona.

At 6:45 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 24, astronomer and NAU Emeritus Associate Professor Dr. David Koerner is scheduled to present the Twilight Talk, “Stars!” Dr. Koerner will discuss the diversity of suns in the universe that vary in age, size and intensity. “If any could swap places with our sun, dire consequences would likely follow,” he said. “Some would freeze our planet. Others would swallow Earth completely!”