Tired of the dark already?
Help us light up the longest night of the year!
Join us for Longview's first-ever Solstice Lantern Walk Through the Solar System.
In 2001, Friends of Galileo Astronomy Club gave the City of Longview a model solar system. It includes ten granite markers along 1.64 miles on the west side of Lake Sacajawea. The markers show the relative sizes and distances of the Sun and planets.
In 2018, we'll have a lantern walk from the Sun to Pluto to brighten up the dark and to celebrate the December solstice, which marks the shortest day and the longest night.
Let’s celebrate the return of longer days, and warm up the start of winter by meeting new friends!
Help us light up the longest night of the year!
Join us for Longview's first-ever Solstice Lantern Walk Through the Solar System.
In 2001, Friends of Galileo Astronomy Club gave the City of Longview a model solar system. It includes ten granite markers along 1.64 miles on the west side of Lake Sacajawea. The markers show the relative sizes and distances of the Sun and planets.
In 2018, we'll have a lantern walk from the Sun to Pluto to brighten up the dark and to celebrate the December solstice, which marks the shortest day and the longest night.
- Bring the family.
- Dress for the weather.
- Bring headlamps and lanterns and flashlights.
- Look for Santa!
Let’s celebrate the return of longer days, and warm up the start of winter by meeting new friends!
- Get your solar system passport stamped as you reach each planet.
- Vote for the best-lit planet.
- Submit your photo of the event.
- Enjoy a 3.7 billion mile stroll through our solar system as we celebrate the solstice!
Details
Where: meet at the marker for the Sun, south end of Lake Sacajawea Park. Walk at your own pace to the marker for Pluto 1.64 miles north (or 3.7 billion miles, according to our model!)
When: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM on Friday, December 21, 2018.
Cost: free!
Shuttle bus: round trip too long? No problem! We will have a shuttle bus run between the Sun and Pluto. Start at either end.
Restrooms: the City of Longview will have restrooms open for us on the Kessler side at Hemlock (east over the footbridge from the statue of Sacajawea).
Changes: check here from time to time for updates, or check our Facebook page. We're working with the City of Longview and participating groups to arrange this awesome event, and details will evolve.
Where: meet at the marker for the Sun, south end of Lake Sacajawea Park. Walk at your own pace to the marker for Pluto 1.64 miles north (or 3.7 billion miles, according to our model!)
When: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM on Friday, December 21, 2018.
Cost: free!
Shuttle bus: round trip too long? No problem! We will have a shuttle bus run between the Sun and Pluto. Start at either end.
Restrooms: the City of Longview will have restrooms open for us on the Kessler side at Hemlock (east over the footbridge from the statue of Sacajawea).
Changes: check here from time to time for updates, or check our Facebook page. We're working with the City of Longview and participating groups to arrange this awesome event, and details will evolve.
Planetary sponsors
Each of these community groups will have a table along your path through the solar system:
(We know Sacajawea isn't a planet, but it's her park and we think she'd like to participate.)
We are talking with other groups and will update this page when they confirm participation.
Would your club or community group like to participate by sponsoring a planet? Check our info page for sponsors and then contact Friends of Galileo.
Volunteers needed
Would you like to be part of this historic event? Check our info page for volunteers and then contact Friends of Galileo with your name, contact info, and how you'd like to help.
Each of these community groups will have a table along your path through the solar system:
- The Sun - Friends of Galileo Astronomy Club (friendsofgalileo.com)
- Mercury - Kelso Freemasons Lodge #94 (bluelodge-wa.org/kelso94/our_lodge.htm)
- Venus - Girl Scouts of Western Washington (girlscoutsww.org)
- Earth - Longview Garden Club (longviewgardenclub.org)
- Mars - Shinju Dojo Aikido (shinjudojo.com)
- Jupiter - Longview Freemasons Lodge #263 (longviewlodge.org)
- Saturn - The Lilac Academy for Bright and Curious Girls
- Uranus - Boy Scouts of America, Cascade Pacific Council (cpcbsa.org)
- Sacajawea - Stageworks Northwest Theatre (stageworksnorthwest.com)
- Neptune - Mount St. Helens Hiking Club (mtsthelensclub.org)
- Pluto - Rose City Astronomers, all the way from Portland (rosecityastronomers.net)
(We know Sacajawea isn't a planet, but it's her park and we think she'd like to participate.)
- Thank you to Copies Today / Speedy Litho (speedylitho.com) for donating the printing for our passports.
- Thank you to Gyros Gyros Restaurant (Gyros-Gyros on Facebook) for your generous financial donation.
- Thank you to Emiley Siters for loaning us canopies from Youth and Family Link (linkprogram.org).
- Thank you to Phil Sari for loaning us a van for our shuttle bus from Columbia Ford (colford.net).
We are talking with other groups and will update this page when they confirm participation.
Would your club or community group like to participate by sponsoring a planet? Check our info page for sponsors and then contact Friends of Galileo.
Volunteers needed
Would you like to be part of this historic event? Check our info page for volunteers and then contact Friends of Galileo with your name, contact info, and how you'd like to help.
