- Rocky Prairie Natural Area Preserve (dnr.wa.gov)
This 35 acre preserve, located on a glacial outwash plain, protects an example of the “Mima Mound” landscape and a small remnant of native Puget prairie grassland, which is dotted with large glacial cobbles. The landscape is a gently rolling plain with low swales and rises. The largest known population of golden paintbrush, a federally listed threatened plant species, grows on the preserve. A state-listed sensitive plant species that grows only in Puget prairies, white topped aster, is also protected on the preserve.
- Messier 99 (Wikipedia)
Messier 99 or M99, also known as NGC 4254 or St. Catherine’s Wheel, is a grand design spiral galaxy in the northern constellation Coma Berenices approximately 15,000,000 parsecs (49,000,000 light-years) from the Milky Way. It was discovered by Pierre Méchain on 17 March 1781. The discovery was then reported to Charles Messier, who included the object in the Messier Catalogue of comet-like objects. It was one of the first galaxies in which a spiral pattern was seen. This pattern was first identified by Lord Rosse in the spring of 1846.