About Natural Phenomena

The beginning of winter is marked by the winter solstice. It’s also the shortest day and longest night of the year in the northern hemisphere. But why?

Join park rangers and volunteers at Wayne's Woods picnic area on Monday, April 8, 2024 from 2 PM to 4:30 PM to watch the partial solar eclipse. Pick up a free pair of eclipse glasses (while supplies last), earn a special Junior Ranger Eclipse Explorer badge, look through a solar telescope, learn about the science of eclipses, and hear a special ranger talk about the historical solar eclipses experienced by the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.

On Monday, April 8, 2024, a deep-partial solar eclipse shadowed the grounds of Fort Stanwix National Monument in Rome, NY. This amazing occurrence is the last time the park will see such a complete solar eclipse until the year 2079! As such, the scientific data collected during the day has been preserved for posterity on the following page.

Kids and the young at heart can learn about solar eclipses with this Eclipse Explorer Junior Ranger program from the National Park Service and The Planetary Society.

People in the past carved petroglyphs and painted pictographs to mark the cycle of the sun, moon, and stars; solstices; and the changing seasons. They tracked time by creating solar calendars that interacted with light and shadow as the sun moved across the sky. When unique astronomical events took place, they documented the moment in stone. Learn more about the purpose for these images.

Learn about the tiny creatures that live in our forest's seeps.

Point Lookout State Park, in St. Mary’s County, Maryland, sits on a peninsula bordered by the Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River. The well-known park offers many recreational opportunities including swimming, fishing, boating, and camping. 11175 Point Lookout Rd, Scotland, MD 20687 301-872-5688

Southeast Coast Inventory and Monitoring Network Newsletter

Two spectacular solar eclipse events will be visible from parks across the continental United States in 2023 and 2024. On October 14, 2023, an annular solar eclipse will cross the sky from Oregon to Texas. On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will be visible as it crosses from Texas to Maine. Learn more about the different types of eclipses and how to view them safely.

Inspired by the winter celebration of Hanukkah, which centers around the miracle of light, explore eight wonderous light displays in nature found in national parks for everyone to experience. And one helper that guides the way in darkness.