Page 51 - 2009 DT 7 issues

the Sun maintains sway over a huge body upon whose stabilizing gravity, Memory Tree Program
assortment of other bits and pieces, and benevolent light and warmth
organized in two vast disk structures all known life depends. If Earth riends of Red Rock Canyon,
at the edges of the main system, a is our anthropomorphic “mother,”
cosmic version of suburban sprawl. then surely the Sun is our “father.” at the request of the Bureau
The Kuiper Belt, between Neptune No matter which hemisphere you Fof Land Management, will
establish a “Memory Tree” program
at the Red Rock Canyon National
Conservation Area Campground. This
program will serve to both visually
and environmentally enhance the
Campground, as well provide a fund-
raising mechanism for Friends of Red
Rock Canyon.
The concept was presented at the
June 2009 Board of Directors meeting
and was unanimously approved.

and Pluto, hosts many icy bodies live in, even the hottest and coldest Friends of Red Rock Canyon will

that are either kicked into higher environments are habitable to some offer five (5) species of trees in three
orbits, ejected out of the system or, life form. (3) sizes – 1 gallon, 5 gallon and
sometimes, into the inner solar system Perhaps the ancients weren’t so 15 gallon for donations of $50, $75
as short period comets. ignorant, after all. Whether known as and $150 respectively. The BLM
The much larger Oort Cloud, Helios or Ra, the Sun god was called recommended and approved
proposed to exist far beyond the the giver of life. He still is that. trees are:
Kuiper Belt, is a parking lot for all —Barbara Wolin • Honey Mesquite
the leftovers bits that coalesced at • Screw Bean Mesquite
the edges of the solar nebula, along • Desert Willow
with ejecta sent packing by the solar • Arizona Ash
wind and the system’s gravitational Information Desk • Single Leaf Ash
interactions. Here is where long period Specialists While memory trees are commonly
comets, such as Comet Halley, are You are invited to become planted to honor those that are no
thought to originate. longer with us, many are to celebrate
In March of this year the Kepler a Frequent Smiles Club births, acknowledge anniversaries or
Member
telescope was launched to conduct a to say ‘thank you for your kindness.’
three-year survey of 100,000 Sun-like Who: Eligible FriendsMembers The donor will receive a plaque
stars in the Cygna-Lyra region of the with their choice of wording on the
Milky Way. It has already detected a How: Every 50 Hours Memory Tree Commemorative Wall.
rocky planet the size of earth in another of Desk Time Trees will be planted twice a year, in
system. Still . . . our Sun is the only the spring and fall, and will serve as
known star, so far, to support a diverse What: $5.00 Gift Certificate lasting tributes to both the donor and
living planet, thanks to its fortuitous honoree as well as the environment.
axial tilt of 23.5 degrees and protective Where: Red Web Store

magnetic field. www.friendsofredrockcanyon.org Applications will be available
Considering that the disk of the at the Red Rock Visitor Center, the
Milky Way is 100,000 light years in Why: In Appreciation of Campground as well as on-line at
your smiles
diameter, 1,000 light years in thickness, www.friendsofredrockcanyon.org
and contains an estimated 200 billion Questions? Contact Sarah —Pat Williams
stars, we can boast—for the present— Valentine at the Red Rock
that our Sun is not just an “ordinary Visitor Center at 702-515-5366
G-type star.” It is an extraordinary News & Notes, continued on p.5

FORRC/July/2009 Page 3