The full moon on Dec. 4 will appear closer and brighter than usual — a so-called “supermoon.” Yet through binoculars or a telescope, the view can look surprisingly flat. With sunlight hitting the lunar surface head-on, shadows disappear and craters lose definition.
Of Palms and Prospectors: The Fascinating History of Corn Springs
The 7.1-mile dirt road to Corn Springs was in fine condition in mid-January, just days after heavy rains coincided with President Biden’s designation of the surrounding Chuckwalla Mountain range as a national monument. My partner, Edgar, and I were relieved as we...
Set your alarm early for a celestial treat. In the predawn hours of July 20, the waning crescent moon will rise alongside the shimmering Pleiades star cluster — a skywatching spectacle steeped in history and myth. Known to stargazers around the world for millennia,...
How Safe Are Coachella Valley Cities From Wildfires?
If 2025 has taught us anything so far, it’s that Mother Nature is out to get us. Her fury warned us years ago, when we tried to fool her in those oleomargarine commercials. Now, Southern California is reeling from a relentless string of disasters — torrential rains,...
Back in December, we noted how the inclination of the moon’s orbit resulted in the full moon being positioned very high in the sky. Now, rather than shining high in the sky, on the nights of June 10 and June 11 (and into the early morning hours the next day), the...
Evenings in May offer an opportunity to spot one of the most recognizable asterisms in the night sky — the Big Dipper. Many people know that the two stars at the end of the Dipper’s bowl point to Polaris, the North Star. But the Big Dipper can also help you locate...
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Global Wildlife Conservation Begins With Community at The Living Desert
In the stillness of an early Palm Desert morning, the air hums with a warmth that clings to your skin, carrying the soft honey scent of acacia trees. Golden light pours over the landscape, casting long shadows across the terrain of The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens....
Lost Creek Canyon Ranch: A Forgotten Oasis Overlooking the Coachella Valley
One hot summer night in 2019, Mike and Linda Rivkin trekked to Lost Creek Canyon Ranch in the foothills above Whitewater, at the northwestern tip of the Coachella Valley. The couple and the property owner shared a mutual friend, who organized the visit. Mike and...
Look to the southwest just after sunset on Nov. 4, and you’ll spot a waxing crescent moon about 15 degrees above the true horizon. Up and to the right, Venus will be clearly visible. The view of this pairing will be brief. For those with a telescope, it’s a great...
More Than a Zoo: How The Living Desert Impacts Global Conservation Efforts
The Chuckwalla Bench appears still at first glance, a landscape of wide sand washes and rumpled brown hills nestled between the Chocolate and Chuckwalla mountain ranges. Look closer, and this Sonoran Desert wilderness springs to life. Lizards dart from the brush, fast...
One of the brightest comets in recent history, C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) has been dubbed by some astronomers as the “comet of the century.” October offers a chance to see it soaring over the Coachella Valley. At the start of the month, from our vantage point, it...
Proposed Chuckwalla National Monument to Protect Critical Desert Habitat
A vast and storied stretch of desert land from the eastern edge of the Coachella Valley to the Colorado river could soon receive critical protection as a national monument. “Our day had been spent in nature’s world of peace and harmony — where there is strength...
Ready your telescopes for Tuesday, Sept. 17, a particularly busy day for the moon. Although the full moon will officially reveal itself as it is rises in the evening, the fun starts much earlier in the day. Starting just after 4:10 a.m. on the 17th, Saturn puts on a...
Life Lessons We Learned From the Agave Plant
Imagine a plant substantial enough to craft ropes and nets, sweet enough to produce honey-like syrup, robust enough to provide nourishment, and striking enough to be an ornamental showstopper. Should its utility alone not impress, the plant also offers valuable...
This August, keep an eye on the sky for a special treat: the bright star Vega. It will reach its highest point, or culmination, around 10:40 p.m. early in the month and around 8:40 p.m. at the end of the month. While there are new methods for standardizing the...
Just after 2 a.m. on July 30, the constellation Taurus will rise in the northeast. Within it, you’ll spot the faint glow of the Pleiades star cluster, sitting above four observing targets arranged in a box-like shape. Look for a waning crescent moon in the upper left...
If you have a high-quality telescope, mark your calendar for the morning of June 27. Around 8:50 a.m., direct your gaze to the moon in the southwest sky and seek out Saturn positioned just above it. At 8:59 a.m., witness a celestial spectacle as the moon moves between...
Why Do Cicadas Buzz? Find Out as They Hit the Coachella Valley
Pop quiz: Which of these is not like the others? a) Leaf blower. b) Table saw. c) Pete Townshend’s guitar on “Won’t Get Fooled Again.” d) Mating cicadas. Trick question. To any human with reasonably functioning ears, they all sound alike. Loud. You can...
How Palm Springs Wildlife Advocates Protects Area Animals
You’re on your daily stroll around the neighborhood. Out of the corner of your eye, you notice a coyote slowly approaching. Your body freezes. Your mind races, considering your options. Scream and run away? According to Palm Springs Wildlife Advocates founder Bettina...
New Book Illustrates Effects of Time on California Deserts
California’s desert landscapes are changing. Human activities in the 20th and 21st centuries have impacted the state’s desert regions in profound ways. Loss of species and habitat diversity, blocking of dispersal corridors, and a changing climate are among the...
