2022 Solstice Lantern Walk Highlights

We had a great time at our fourth event, December 17, 2022.

We brightened the longest night, celebrated the return of longer days, and met great people. Here are some highlights:

• Hundreds of people walked part or all of the 3.7 billion miles from the Sun, at the south end of Lake Sacajawea, to Pluto, at the north end.
  
• Couples, individuals, families, and pets had a great time - many dressed up with lanterns and lights. Once again we had visitors drive in from far and wide just to participate. Thanks for joining us!
• Some made it all the way to Pluto, and some made it there and back.
• Many appreciated riding our Space Shuttle so they didn't have to walk both ways.

Our route followed the Solar System Walk given to the City of Longview by the Friends of Galileo Astronomy Club in 2001. The walk is a series of granite markers showing the relative distances between the Sun and the planets - it's our solar system, scaled down to Lake Sacajawea. The markers follow the path on the west side of Lake Sacajawea, over 1.64 miles.
Solar System Walk

We had passports for people to take to each planet and get stamped. Thank you to Pat and Bill at Copies Today/Speedy Litho for donating part of the printing for our passports - again. They looked great!
speedylitho.com

The planets were lit up in a small way or in a big way. Kids got candy at several planets and people got to know some of the great clubs in our community.

* * * * * If you walked the whole Solar System (3.7 billion miles!), you saw:

The Sun - Friends of Galileo Astronomy Club started off the event with lanterns and passports and candy for the kids. FoG has monthly meetings, sidewalk astronomy, star parties, and our annual overnight event at Mount St. Helens.
friendsofgalileo.com

Mercury - Santa and Mrs. Claus! It was a very busy time for them, of course, but they came to start off the walk with Christmas cheer.

Venus - The Girl Scouts of Western Washington came out again with a big, welcoming tent. They worked with the Boy Scouts to light up the path with luminaria... By the way, it'll be cookie season soon.
girlscoutsww.org

Earth - Three Rivers Christian School came out again to support the Solstice Lantern Walk. What a great turnout they had!
https://3riversschool.net

Mars - Shinju Dojo Aikido Martial Arts School was our very first planet sponsor in 2018! Learn self-defense and self-confidence in a friendly, low-impact, non-competitive atmosphere right here in Longview.
shinjudojo.com

Jupiter - Longview Freemasons Lodge #263 - Our most generous donor. Thank you, Masons! Freemasons have been making good men better for centuries. Longview Lodge will celebrate its first century in 1924.
freemasoncowlitz.org

Europa - Bethel #65 of Job's Daughters, located in Kelso. They are 10-20 year old daughters of Masons. They learn leadership and develop great friendships... and probably had the best-organized tent.
joinjobies.org

Saturn -  Kelso-Longview Elks, Lodge #1482. The Elks did a great job again. Did you see all the glowing Saturn models?
elks #1482

Uranus - The Boy Scouts of America, Cascade Pacific Council didn't just have a good set up and interesting information about their planet ("12 Facts About Uranus!"), they added s'mores and a warming tent! Both were very welcome at that point in the walk.

The Boy Scouts worked with the Girl Scouts to cover more than half our route with glowing luminaria to mark the path. What a cheerful trail to follow. Wow!
cpcbsa.org

Sacajawea - Longview YMCA. On short notice, we had an awesome staff member come out and represent the Y at our event. Have you checked out the Y? Great facilities and classes, and part of Longview for a century!
longviewymca.org

Neptune - Even with *two* astronomy clubs involved in this event, the Mount St. Helens Hiking Club was the only one to bring along a telescope - four years in a row.
mtsthelensclub.org

Comet Swift-Tuttle - Columbia River Reader brightened up the outer solar system again. Thanks for supporting us with a great description in the CRR!
crreader.com

Star Team - Mike Wallin's Star Team with Keller Williams was a new sponsor this year. They did a terrific job helping line the path with beautiful glowing luminaria.
mikewallin.kw.com

Pluto - Rose City Astronomers came all the way from Portland to set up at the far end of the solar system. Check out their calendar of events next time you're in Portland.
rosecityastronomers.net

Space Shuttle - thank you Pat Edwards and the Afifi Shrine for helping our walkers get back to the start. Again! The Shriners meet to have fun and to support Shriner Hospitals around the world.
afifishriners.org

Bonus - Cowlitz River Kayakers had their annual Christmas Paddle at Lake Sacajawea about an hour before we started. What a great trip to see all the lit up kayaks on the lake!
Cowlitz River Kayakers.

Join us for our next event!