Sharing the Wonder of Voyageurs' Dark Skies
For Kathryn Wissman, a summer spent beneath the stars at Voyageurs National Park was more than an opportunity to explore the night sky. It was a chance to inspire curiosity, share unforgettable experiences with visitors, and discover a deeper passion for environmental education.
As Voyageurs Conservancy's Dark Sky Field Fellow, Kathryn helped bring astronomy to life through weekly Park After Dark programs, the Voyageurs Star Party, and other educational experiences. From guiding visitors through constellations and telescope observations to developing and presenting her own interpretive program about the aurora borealis, Kathryn played an important role in connecting people with the park's extraordinary night skies.
She also spent the summer developing an Astronomy Observing Guide, designed to give beginning stargazers the knowledge and confidence to explore the night sky independently.
Finding Wonder Under the Stars
One of Kathryn's most memorable experiences came during a Park After Dark program at the Kabetogama Visitor Center, when visitors gathered to witness a lunar eclipse through telescopes.
"I loved hearing everyone’s reactions to such a breathtaking phenomenon," Kathryn recalled.
For her, moments like these revealed what makes environmental education so meaningful.
"It seems that in most peoples’ lives it is rare to have a moment where you are truly awestruck by something in nature, but I get to be there to witness people having these moments over and over again."
Kathryn's fellowship also offered opportunities to explore the park beyond the night sky. She helped fourth-grade students observe bald eagles and learn about bird adaptations, joined wildlife researchers on field surveys, and even had the opportunity to hold a beaver kit.
Growing as an Astronomer and Educator
Throughout the summer, Kathryn developed new technical skills and confidence in communicating complex scientific concepts to audiences of all ages and backgrounds.
Before her fellowship, she had operated a telescope only a handful of times. By the end of the summer, she had gained practical experience setting up and calibrating telescopes, locating celestial objects, and helping visitors make their own discoveries.
"I have a personal 'life list' of objects in the night sky that I have been able to observe with a telescope and this summer that list has grown from just a couple of star clusters to around 30 deep space objects."
With an academic background in political science rather than science, Kathryn's fellowship also reinforced an important realization: her lifelong fascination with the stars could become a meaningful career in environmental education.
"This opportunity has helped solidify my passion for astronomy and has shown me that I can make a career out of something that I have enjoyed doing since I was a kid."
As Kathryn reflects on her summer, she carries forward not only new skills and unforgettable memories, but also a renewed commitment to helping others discover the natural world.
"Leaving this experience I am even more motivated to continue learning about the night sky and sharing my knowledge so that everyone can experience the wonders I am lucky enough to have experienced under the dark skies of Voyageurs National Park."
Through the Field Fellows program, Voyageurs Conservancy supports emerging conservation professionals as they gain hands-on experience, develop their skills, and inspire the next generation of park stewards.
Your support of Voyageurs Conservancy helps fund the Voyageurs Field Fellows program, which offers stipend-paid internship opportunities for students to get direct experience in conservation and public lands and develops the next generation of conservation professionals. Fellowships include environmental education, aquatic ecology and invasive species management, wildlife biology, cultural and historic preservation, dark skies, and more. voyageurs.org/give
