Birthday Sunrises on a Chaco Canyon Horizon

Our field testing reveals that most of us, no matter what our cultural or academic background, do not know how the sunrise (and sunset) change position on the horizon over the course of the year. This activity invites us to visit an ancient World Heritage site in Chaco Canyon, NM to re-awaken our awareness of this natural rhythm and then to enjoy paying attention to the location of sunrises and sunsets on our own local horizons!

Great Kiva Panorama: Looking eastward from the western side of the largest excavated Great Kiva in Chaco Canyon (diameter ~ 63 ft or ~19 m). (Image Credit: NASA PUNCH Outreach, D. Johnson)
Image credit: NASA PUNCH Outreach, D. Johnson

Great Kiva Panorama: Looking eastward from the western side of the largest excavated Great Kiva in Chaco Canyon (diameter ~ 63 ft or ~19 m). The US National Park Service calls this place Casa Rinconada, but contemporary Native cultures whose ancestors constructed the building about 1000 years ago have other names for it. The Kiva is a marvel of ancient astronomical alignment to the cardinal directions as well as to both Moon and Sun cycles.This composite panorama was selected for a 12-foot mural display in an exhibit about Southwestern Native American sky-watching created by the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture in Santa Fe.

Cropped version of the Great Kiva Panorama that provides the basis for the PUNCH Outreach activity called: Birthday Sunrises on a Chaco Canyon Horizon

Birthday Sunrise Activity Poster: Cropped version of the Great Kiva Panorama that provides the basis for the PUNCH Outreach activity called: Birthday Sunrises on a Chaco Canyon Horizon (downloadable print and PowerPoint versions available below).

Activity concept by C. Morrow; Ground truth photography for sunrise positions by G B Cornucopia; Kiva photography by D. Johnson; Graphic Support & Field testing by J. Aubele, D. Dooling, I. Ingermann, D. Kolinski, M. Zawaski.

Our Sun-watching ancestors used "horizon calendars" like the one depicted to track time and schedule important seasonal activities. Today we use NASA spacecraft to help us learn how to live in harmony with the Sun's cycles, including both the seasonal and magnetic activity cycles.

This activity can be offered in a variety of modalities depending on the teaching and learning circumstances. These include:

  • with public outreach event participants at a tabletop activity station using the 3' x 1' laminated poster and associated visuals (See downloads below)
  • with a large assembly or conference group using Powerpoint slides (see Downloads for presentation or display)
  • with classroom groups using the Home Printing Paper Models of the Chaco horizon (downloadable below, assembly required)
  • with an on-line group using a Powerpoint slide and the Chat window for interaction (see Downloads for presentation or display)
  • with a tour group on-site in Chaco using the real horizon in tandem with the 3' x 1' laminated poster
  • with a planetarium audience using an immersive interactive activity (in development)

Resources

Downloads

  • Slides for Display and/or Presentation (PDF, 1 MB)
  • Self-directed Activity Guide, 2-pager for beginner (PDF, less than 1 MB)
  • Self-directed Activity Guide, 2-pager for advanced (PDF, less than 1 MB)
  • Printable Birthday Sunrise Activity Poster (36" x 12" PDF, 2 MB | 36" x 12" JPG, 10 MB | 48" x 16" JPG, 15 MB)
    • Printing Instructions: Send the Poster file to a printing company of your choice. For best and most durable results, we recommend that it be laminated with a matte finish.
    • Note: Poster PDF & JPGs are sized to print at 300 pixels per inch if printed at dimensions shown in link.
  • Home Printing Paper Model of Birthday Sunrise Activity Poster (assembly required)

Additional Links

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