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The Desert Letter

· 34.01°N 116.17°W

Is tonight worth the drive?

Tonight's verdict

Reading the sky…

/10 SKY

scroll into the night

Sunset isn't darkness.

The sky you drove out for doesn't show up until the sun is 18° below the horizon — astronomers call it astronomical twilight, and out here it ends at tonight. That's when the Milky Way clocks in.

The obstacle

The moon, tonight

Phase
Lit
Rises
Sets

The plan

Your window

Cloud cover over the window:

Bonus material

Falling rocks

The destination

Where to stand

Before you go

Field notes