- Located on the coast of Orcas Island, this 57 acre forested preserve protects natural examples of dry-site forest communities dominated by Douglas-fir, Pacific madrone, salal and ocean spray, representing the “rain shadow” vegetation that occurs in the San Juan Islands. Bald eagles feed and nest on the preserve and seals haul out on the rocky shoreline. A small state-owned recreation site on the point is used for marine mammal study, kayak and small boat camping, as well as outdoor education through nearby, privately owned Camp Orkila.
- Almach (stars.astro.illinois.edu)
ALMACH (Gamma Andromedae). You take your new telescope to the back yard perhaps wondering what to examine. When finished with the Moon and the bright planets you turn to the stars, first perhaps to the grand Orion Nebula, next maybe to the magnificent Andromeda Galaxy. Then it is time for double stars. The sky abounds with them, northern winter’s Castor, springtime’s Mizar and Alcor, summer’s Albireo (the seasons reversed for the southern hemisphere), dozens of others easily found. Among the best of all, however, is the last star of the string of bright beauties that helps make the constellation Andromeda, second magnitude (2.16) Almach, Andromeda’s Gamma star.