| More about the Exploratorium website: Ancient Observatories: Chaco Canyon | ||
 | Chaco Canyon is a shallow, ten-mile canyon situated in the northwest corner of New Mexico. Seventy miles from the nearest town and accessible only by washboard dirt roads, it's remote by today's standards. The canyon itself has been carved from ancient sea beds by centuries of erosion. Millions of years of history reveal themselves in the layers of rock and the fossils embedded therein.
Chaco Canyon, among other things, continues to be of great interest to those who study ancient cultures, including archeoastronomers. Evidence suggests that the Chacoans were expert skywatchers, with a clear knowledge of the cyclic and seasonal patterns of the sun, moon, and stars
Join the Exploratorium in this on-line investigation about this fascinating, ancient site. | |
Browsing 0 - 7 results of 7 programs from project - Ancient Observatories: Chaco Canyon |
Chaco Canyon: Sense of Place (Clip)
Running Time:
00:01:04
00:01:04
See how patterns of light change throughout the day at Chaco, and hear G.B. Cornucopia and Shelly Valdez share their impressions of the phenomena of light cycles in Chaco Canyon.
Project: Ancient Observatories: Chaco Canyon | Browse All
Date: December 2, 2010
Format: Expedition
Category: Everyday Science
Subject(s): Geology/Earth Science, Astronomy/Space Science
Keywords: sun observation, solstice
Project: Ancient Observatories: Chaco Canyon | Browse All
Date: December 2, 2010
Format: Expedition
Category: Everyday Science
Subject(s): Geology/Earth Science, Astronomy/Space Science
Keywords: sun observation, solstice
 |
Chaco Canyon: Ancient Observatories: Chaco Canyon (Webcast)
Running Time:
0:59:00
0:59:00
Join the Live@ crew and NASA scientists as we delve into the ancient knowledge of the Chacoans, daily sky watchers who amassed a great knowledge about the movements of the sun. And learn why today's astronomers and solar physicists continue to watch the sun, using modern ground-based observatories and orbiting space telescopes.
Project: Ancient Observatories: Chaco Canyon | Browse All
Date: December 21, 2004
Format: Expedition
Category: History of Science
Subject(s): Physics, History
Keywords: winter solstice, chaco canyon, ancient observatories, sun, equinox, native americans, eagle dance, alignments, sun dagger, ancient stories, architecture, fajada butte, pueblo bonito
Project: Ancient Observatories: Chaco Canyon | Browse All
Date: December 21, 2004
Format: Expedition
Category: History of Science
Subject(s): Physics, History
Keywords: winter solstice, chaco canyon, ancient observatories, sun, equinox, native americans, eagle dance, alignments, sun dagger, ancient stories, architecture, fajada butte, pueblo bonito
| Links: | National Park Service Chaco Canyon Website |
Chaco Canyon: Your Shadow Knows (Clip)
Running Time:
00:03:02
00:03:02
Join us in Chaco Canyon to think about what we can learn from watching shadows.
Project: Ancient Observatories: Chaco Canyon | Browse All
Date: October 7, 2004
Format: Expedition
Category: Everyday Science
Subject(s): Astronomy/Space Science, Geology/Earth Science
Keywords: sun observation, solstice, shadow
Project: Ancient Observatories: Chaco Canyon | Browse All
Date: October 7, 2004
Format: Expedition
Category: Everyday Science
Subject(s): Astronomy/Space Science, Geology/Earth Science
Keywords: sun observation, solstice, shadow
|
Chaco Canyon: Sun Stories (Clip)
Running Time:
00:03:43
00:03:43
The sun holds an honored place in the lives of Southwestern Native Americans. Hear insights into the importance of the sun from Dr. Shelly Valdez, educator at Laguna Pueblo; Dr. Isabel Hawkins, solar researcher at UC Berkeley; and Andrew Garcia Sr., coordinator of Tewa dancers.
Project: Ancient Observatories: Chaco Canyon | Browse All
Date: October 7, 2004
Format: Expedition
Category: Everyday Science
Subject(s): Astronomy/Space Science, Geology/Earth Science, History
Keywords: sun observation, solar alignment
Project: Ancient Observatories: Chaco Canyon | Browse All
Date: October 7, 2004
Format: Expedition
Category: Everyday Science
Subject(s): Astronomy/Space Science, Geology/Earth Science, History
Keywords: sun observation, solar alignment
|
Chaco Canyon: Alignments at Chaco Canyon: Wijiji (Clip)
Running Time:
00:00:24
00:00:24
Time-lapse footage of light moving across a pictograph at Wijiji 931.
Project: Ancient Observatories: Chaco Canyon | Browse All
Date: October 7, 2004
Format: Expedition
Category: Everyday Science
Subject(s): Astronomy/Space Science, Geology/Earth Science
Keywords: sun observation, solar alignment
Project: Ancient Observatories: Chaco Canyon | Browse All
Date: October 7, 2004
Format: Expedition
Category: Everyday Science
Subject(s): Astronomy/Space Science, Geology/Earth Science
Keywords: sun observation, solar alignment
|
Chaco Canyon: Alignments at Chaco Canyon: Casa Rinconada (Clip)
Running Time:
00:00:27
00:00:27
Watch as the square of light moves across the wall and niches at Rinconada.
Project: Ancient Observatories: Chaco Canyon | Browse All
Date: October 7, 2004
Format: Expedition
Category: Everyday Science
Subject(s): Astronomy/Space Science, Geology/Earth Science
Keywords: sun observation, solstice, shadow
Project: Ancient Observatories: Chaco Canyon | Browse All
Date: October 7, 2004
Format: Expedition
Category: Everyday Science
Subject(s): Astronomy/Space Science, Geology/Earth Science
Keywords: sun observation, solstice, shadow
|
Chaco Canyon: Alignments at Chaco Canyon: Pueblo Bonito (Clip)
Running Time:
00:00:48
00:00:48
See the movement of shadow on the North/South wall.
Project: Ancient Observatories: Chaco Canyon | Browse All
Date: October 7, 2004
Format: Expedition
Category: Everyday Science
Subject(s): Astronomy/Space Science, Geology/Earth Science
Keywords: summer solstice, sun observation
Project: Ancient Observatories: Chaco Canyon | Browse All
Date: October 7, 2004
Format: Expedition
Category: Everyday Science
Subject(s): Astronomy/Space Science, Geology/Earth Science
Keywords: summer solstice, sun observation
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Webcasts made possible through
the generosity of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, The Jim Clark
Endowment for Internet Education, the McBean Family Foundation,.and the Corporation for Educational Networks Initiatives in California (CENIC). |
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