April 14: Minnesota State Mankato’s American Indigenous Studies, Astronomy Programs to Host Indigenous Astronomy Event

Friday, April 14, 2023
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Days events begin at Trafton Central, Room 123

Mankato, Minn. – Minnesota State University, Mankato’s American Indigenous Studies and Astronomy programs are holding an Indigenous astronomy event Friday, April 14 that includes afternoon and evening presentations, a tour of Jeffers Petroglyphs in Comfrey, Minnesota, and an opportunity to view the night sky through telescopes (weather permitting).

Event activities are free and open to the public.

The April 14 events begin at 3 p.m. in Trafton Central, Room 123, with an hour-long presentation by Michael Rutkowski, assistant professor of astronomy at Minnesota State Mankato, about light pollution and preserving the night sky.

There will be a two-hour break in event activities to allow travel to Jeffers Petroglyphs in Comfrey, Minnesota, which is located approximately 60 miles west of Mankato. Members of the public must provide their own travel to Jeffers Petroglyphs from Mankato and back.

The event will resume at 6 p.m. at Jeffers Petroglyphs, where astronomy-themed activities will be provided by the University of Minnesota’s Bell Museum and tours provided by Jeffers Petroglyphs staff. The Bell Museum and Jeffers Petroglyphs are co-hosts for the event.

From 8-9 p.m., Tom Sanders, former site manager for Jeffers Petroglyphs, will give a presentation about archaeoastronomy of the world, Jeffers Petroglyphs and the Red Rock Ridge.

The event will culminate after dark, with an opportunity to view the cosmos through telescopes, weather permitting. More information is available online here.

The day’s activities were set up to correspond with the beginning of Earth Week, which runs from April 16-22. Media with questions about the event should contact Chelsea Mead, associate professor in Minnesota State Mankato’s American Indigenous Studies Program, by email at chelsea.mead@mnsu.edu or by phone at 507-389-1302.

Minnesota State Mankato’s American Indigenous Studies Program is an interdisciplinary program in the University’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Minnesota State Mankato’s Astronomy Program is part of the Department of Physics and Astronomy in the University’s College of Science, Engineering and Technology.

Minnesota State Mankato, a comprehensive university with 14,482 students, is part of the Minnesota State system, which includes 26 colleges and seven universities.