Storytelling & Star Party with the Tucson Indian Center
Tucson, AZ
Two Tucson Indian Center vans full of community members traveled caravan style from the downtown office to Saguaro West Park to the Red Hills Visitor Center for an evening of storytelling and telescope viewing. Celestial storytelling was provided by Susanne Lasseter. She kept everyone riveted with Turkish, Snohomish, Abenaki and Filipino stories about the sky. They included tales of how the moon and the stars got in the sky, and a Coyote story! Coyote volunteered to become the moon. 
But, Coyote being Coyote watched the lives of the people below and could not keep his mouth shut about what he saw. He shouted out advice and secrets for all the world to hear. He made people so mad that they brought him back down to Earth. Coyote was unhappy about being back on the ground and cries to the Moon every time he sees it.
As the sun was setting University of Arizona professor Thomas Fleming and his two undergraduate assistants, Kevin Hardegree-Ullman and Pye Pye Zaw, set up telescopes in the parking lot. Though the night was not completely free of clouds, Jupiter, the moon, the Ring Nebula and the globular cluster M13 in Hercules were viewed through the telescopes. 
Though all the celestial bodies were enjoyed, the moon which was in its first quarter phase was a favorite. There were many comments about the craters that were visible along the terminator – the line between light and shadow on the surface of the moon. The other favorite was Jupiter because all four of its bright moons were visible: Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto.
Special thanks go to Pam Bennett the Wellness Specialist at the Tucson Indian Center and a graduate student in the History Department at the University of Arizona. 
A special thanks to Ranger Brian Rutledge of Saguaro National Park. More IYA2009USA, University of Arizona and Tucson Indian Center events are planned for the fall.
J.C. Holbrook
