For a thousand generations, desert shamans of the far West sought order in the stars and in the mysteries and wonder of their grand, if unforgiving landscape. When summoned, they doctored the stricken, be they stoic elders or frightened little children. They conjured rains. Taking leave of reality, they rode whirlwinds and soared in magical flight. They epitomized a Native American ability "to relate to the land in ways beyond a Western way of thinking."  They're gone now. But there remain telling accounts of how, day-to-day, they lived: how omens foretold a shaman's destiny, how he learned his craft, how he could exercise his power for both  good and evil. How a shaman could travel to the land of the dead and (hopefully) return.  Drawing on the lore of a dozen tribes, Old Magic conjures the year-to-year life of a shaman - a life of service to his people, a life fraught with torment and danger, a life often taking a man or woman to the edge of madness.

 

Sponsored by the Desert Institute at Joshua Tree National Park and the Twentynine Palms Historical Society, this lecture is held at the Old Schoolhouse Museum, 6760 National Park Drive, Twentynine Palms, on Friday, October 9 at 7PM.  This lecture is open to the public and costs $5 per person at the door. Optional dinner with speaker at 5PM at the 29 Palms Inn, room is limited and attendees are responsible for their own meal.  If interested in dinner please RSVP to Kellie Stokes at 760-367-5535 or [email protected] before Wednesday, October 7th.

Sky's the Limit Observatory and Nature Center, 9697 Utah Trail, invites guests to a free public event from 7:30 pm to around 12:30 am on Saturday, October 10.

Embark on a splendid tour of the cosmos beginning with striking clusters and nebulae in the summer Milky Way. Catch a view of the outer planets Neptune and Uranus, the deep orange Garnet Star, and later on the Andromeda Galaxy, which will be visible to the naked eye in the eastern sky.

The top 5 most prominent constellations are Aquila (the Eagle), Cygnus (the Swan), Lyra (the Harp), Pegasus (the Winged Horse), and Cassiopeia (the Seated Queen)

STL has a variety of types and sizes of telescopes set up along winding sidewalks, and guests are welcome to use them or may bring their own binoculars and scopes as well. STL volunteers will make every effort to assist as needed in setting up and using equipment. 

All are encouraged to come around sunset to have time to visit other campus educational attractions before the cosmic tour begins at dark. Everyone should dress for unpredictable desert weather and bring snacks, water bottles, a small flashlight, and chairs. Children under 16 must be accompanied by adults. No pets and no smoking allowed on the STL campus, and visitors must carry out all trash.

Guests are cautioned that the seasonal sky is very unpredictable and a viewing event may have to be delayed, rescheduled, or cancelled due to cloudiness, rain, or excessive wind.  Check Sky's The Limit Facebook Page to learn the latest status of an event, or call Steve at 650-678-0179.  

Stock up on inexpensive reading and entertainment materials at the Friends of the Twentynine Palms Branch Library Book Sale. The Fall Book Sale begins on Thursday, October 15, 2015, for members only and Saturday October 17, 2015 for the general public. Thursday from 3PM-5PM, Friends of the Twentynine Palms Branch Library will have first choice of sale items. On Saturday, October 17, 2015, from 9AM-2PM, the general public will be invited to purchase various books (new and used), DVDs, books on CD, videos and magazines. Subjects include all types of fiction, romance, non-fiction and children's books. All funds go directly back into resources for the Twentynine Palms Branch Library.

 

Join us for our first ever Night Sky Festival, Friday, October 16-Sunday, October 18, 2015.