SAS Webinar
“Some Astronomy in Classical Hohokam and Mimbres Locations”
by
Robert Garfinkle, FRAS
Saturday, November 9, 2024
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM PT
During the classical period of the Hohokam and Mimbres tribes of the Anasazi Native Americans of Arizona and New Mexico, the Hohokam built the Casa Grande structure (now ruins in Coolidge, AZ) and used it for astronomical observations. In the year 1054 CE, the Mimbres observed a bright new star visible for 23 days in the daytime sky that actually was the Super Nova, now known as the Crab Nebula (M-i). Robert’s PowerPoint presentation will cover these hundreds of year-old events.”

Bob Garfinkle is an author and a recognized independent scholar on the history of astronomy and observing the night sky. His first book, Star-Hopping: Your Visa to Viewing the Universe, was published in 1994 by Cambridge University Press. This best-selling book was republished as both a hardback and paperback in 1997. He co-authored another best-selling book, Advanced Skywatching, also in 1997. This book has been translated into German and Spanish. Bob spent 30 years writing his 3-volume lunar observers’ reference book, Luna Cognita. It was published by Springer in 2020.
He is the Historian for the BAA’s Lunar Section and is a longtime member of the Antique Telescope Society. In 1998, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. In May 2018, Bob was notified that the International Astronomical Union had renamed Minor Planet 2000 EY70 to be “31862 Garfinkle” in his honor.
Bob received his first BA in History (1975) and a second BA in English Literature (1994) from Cal State University-Hayward. He is a Past President of the California Writers Club (2010-12) and Mayor of Union City, CA. Bob is also the former Vice-President and Membership Chair of the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum in Fremont, CA.