DINOSAUR NATIONAL MONUMENT — The monument is offering stargazing activities and celebrating its discovery. The Skies Over Dinosaur Astronomy Festival will be held Wednesday-Sunday. During the day, observe the closest star with Junior Ranger Night Explorer activities and afternoon solar viewing at the Quarry Visitor 2-4 p.m. Planisphere (Star Chart) Talks at the Quarry Visitor Center, 3-3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, will help to identify when and where to look for certain features in the sky once it gets dark.
On Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evening, join the Green River Campground evening program at 7:30 p.m., followed by stargazing with telescopes at the Split Mountain Campground at 9:15 p.m. Visitors can set up their own telescopes in the closed loop at the south end of the Split Mountain Campground at 8:30 p.m.
Note that the peak of the Perseid Meteor Shower is 3 a.m Thursday.
Earl Douglass Discovery Days marks the initial discovery on Aug. 17, 1909, by paleontologist Earl Douglass of what was to become the Carnegie Quarry and the anniversary of the first recorded visitors to the site on Aug. 22, 1909.
Activities include special talks each day at the quarry, off-trail hikes to see more recent dinosaur discoveries, and a Green River Campground evening program at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22, led by Earl Douglass' granddaughter, Diane Iverson.
Documentary night is 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 25, at the Uintah County Library in Vernal and also feature Iverson sharing excerpts from a book based on her grandfather's journals, "Speak to the Earth and Let it Teach You: The Life and Times of Earl Douglass — 1862-1931." Books will be available for purchase.
Tuesday, Aug. 25, will be a Fee Free Day in honor of the National Park Service's 99th birthday. Entrance fees will be waived that day, but camping fees will still be collected.