STEMarts Lab is pleased to announce the launch of the STEMarts [AR] AstroTour, an evening of sky gazing and storytelling through art, science, and technology. This special event is part of our continued collaboration with the Harwood Museum of Art and UNM Taos, and is sponsored by the Lor Foundation.
The AstroTour will begin at 8:30 PM in the back courtyard of the museum, where guests are invited to settle in for a quiet reflection under the early night sky. Our guest storytellers — Dr. Julia Blue Bird, Lakota astrophysicist at the NRAO/VLA; Henrietta Gomez, Taos elder; and Arwen Hubbard, NASA Solar System Ambassador — will guide us through personal and scientific narratives that trace our connection to the stars.
In Taos, New Mexico, on July 12th, it will get dark enough for optimal stargazing around 9:30 PM, when astronomical twilight begins — the time when the sun is 12–18 degrees below the horizon. At this point, the event will shift to the front parking lot, where participants can explore a series of Augmented Reality Astro Stations created by the STEMarts Youth Ambassadors. Using your phone, you’ll point to the night sky to unlock animated overlays of constellations — offering artistic interpretations that blend astronomical science with speculative futures.
The AstroTour culminates with a telescope viewing station, where participants will have the opportunity to observe celestial objects up close and engage with Dr. Colin Nicholls, Associate Professor at UNM Taos; Dr. Julia Blue Bird, Lakota astrophysicist at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory/VLA; and Arwen Hubbard, NASA Solar System Ambassador.
This immersive sci-art experience was inspired in part by the exhibition Charles Ross: Mansions of the Zodiac, currently on view at the Harwood. Ross’s lifelong exploration of starlight, time, and planetary motion provided a creative spark for the student coders who developed the generative visualizations for the AR stations using P5.js.
This event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served, and guests are encouraged to arrive early for a relaxed and thoughtful evening under the stars. We hope you’ll join us to explore the sky in new ways and to celebrate the creativity of our local youth.
The STEMarts [AR] AstroTours are made possible thanks to the Lor Foundation, with continued support from the Space Valley Foundation.
Generative Art: Claudia Angelina Diaz Grano
