>> Ted: COMING UP NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON, A NEW LOOKS AT HEAT-RELATED DEATHS IN MARICOPA COUNTY.

WE'LL HEAR ABOUT HIRE A VETERAN DAY.

AND WHY ARIZONA WAS RANKED AS ONE OF THE BEST PLACES IN THE U.S. TO SUMMER STARGAZE.

THAT'S BE NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON.

GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO ARIZONA HORIZON.

I'M TEXAS.

TED SIMONS.

THEY APPOINTED SHAWUN BULLOCK AND SHE REPLACES STEVE KAISER WHO RESIGNED LAST MONTH.

IT WAS UNANIMOUS AND SUPERVISOR BILL GATES WHO REPRESENTS AREAS OF THE COUNTY NOTED THE DYSFUNCTION AND SAID THE THREE NOMINEES WHO HAVE EXPRESSED SOME DEGREE OF ELECTION DENIALISM WERE NOT, QUOTE, REPRESENTED OF THE BROAD BREADTH OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

>> THE OVERNIGHT LOW THE SKY HARBOR WAS 97° AND THE RECORD AT THE AIRPORT WAS 96 SET IN 2003.

IT WAS LOWS ABOVE 90° AND THAT'S A RECORD, TOO.

AS FOR HIGH TEMPERATURES, PHOENIX IS AT 20 STRAIGHT DAYS OF OVER 110 AND IT THE FORECAST CALLS FOR THE CURRENT STRAIGHT TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEKEND.

>>> A NEW STUDY SUGGESTS PEOPLE WITH A GENETIC VARIATION OF A PROTEIN WERE NEVER LIKELY TO DEVELOP SYMPTOMS OF COVID EVEN INFECTED WITH THE VIRUS.

THE RESEARCH INVOLVES A PARTICULAR ANTIGEN AND ANOTHER STUDY SHOWS A DIFFERENT CHANGE TO GENES IS PRESENT IN THOSE MORE LIKELY TO DEVELOP LONG COVID.

RESEARCHERS PLAN TO EXPAND TO SEE IF OTHER GENES ARE INVOLVED IN COVID REACTIONS.

>>> A NEW REPORT ON HEAT-RELATED AND HEAT-CAUSED DEATHS IN MARICOPA COUNTY FOUND FATALITIES INCREASED BY 25% AND LOOKED CLOSELY AT THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE CASUALTIES.

FOR MORE, WE'RE JOINED BY DR. NICK STAUB FROM PUBLIC HEALTH.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THESE HEAT-CAUSED FATALITIES ARE SPIKING.

>> WE'VE BEEN TRACKING HEAT-RELATED DEATHS SINCE 2006 AND WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS THAT FROM 2021 TO 2022, WE SAW AN INCREASE BY 25% OF THE DEATHS.

AND AGAIN, THAT HAS BEEN RISING YEAR OVER YEAR.

>> Ted: BEFORE WE GET TO A CLOSER LOOK, HOW SIGNIFICANT OF A HEALTH PROBLEM ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?

>> VERY SIGNIFICANT.

HEAT IS THE SEVERE WEATHER HERE IN ARIZONA AND WE NEED TO HAVE A PLAN FOR DEALING WITH IT.

EACH OF US DOES.

>> Ted: WE SHOULD MENTION, THIS IS LAST YEAR BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE NUMBERS IN AND NEXT YEAR, WHEN YOU LOOK BACK ON 2023, YOU'LL SEE PRETTY STAGGERING NUMBERS, AREN'T YOU?

>> IT'S HOTTER AND SO WE THINK THAT WILL LEAD TO MORE DEATHS, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT OUR 2022 NUMBERS, BECAUSE WE THINK THAT HIGHLIGHTS, THOSE POPULATIONS THAT ARE HIGHEST RISK AND WE WHERE NEED TO AS A COMMUNITY TO PUT OUR EFFORT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE SAFE.

>> Ted: 425 HEAT ASSOCIATED DEATHS.

>> THAT'S CELEBRITY.

>> Ted: MALES ARE 85%?

>> MALES MORE SIGNIFICANT THAN FEMALES.

>> Ted: WHY?

>> THE AT RISK POPULATIONS AND THE FEATURES THAT WE SEE.

THE REPORT SHOWS THAT IF YOU'RE UNSHELTERED AND THE HOMELESS SHOWING HIGHER RATES AND A HIGHER NUMBER OF MALES IN THAT POPULATION.

>> Ted: I WOULD IMAGINE OUTDOOR WORK AND CONSTRUCTION?

>> YEAH, WE DON'T SEE AS MANY DEATHS RELATEDEATHS RELATED TO OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURES AND NOT RELATED WORK RELATED.

>> Ted: THREE OUT OF FIVE NON-HISPANIC WHITE INDIVIDUALS.

>> I THINK THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH BOTH WITH DEMOGRAPHICS AS A COUNTY AND WITH THE PARTICULAR POPULATIONS.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT HOUSING UNITS, TOO, AND HOW WE HOUSE EACH OTHER, THINK ABOUT SOCIAL -- THE WAY CERTAIN GROUPS WILL HOUSE THEIR OWN FAMILY MEMBERS, WHICH JUST A SOCIAL -- PART OF OUR SOCIAL FABRIC.

>> Ted: PEOPLE OVER THE AGE OF 50.

>> YEAH, SO WE KNOW THAT EDERLY FOLKS ARE AT INCREASED RISK FOR SEVERE OUTCOMES FROM HEAT AND HAVE OTHER MEDICAL CO-MORBIDITIES THAT HEAT MAKES THEM MORE DANGEROUS.

>> Ted: OFTEN CAN BE IN A SITUATION WHERE INDOOR AIR CONDITIONING EITHER ISN'T WORKING, WORKING AS IT SHOULD BE OR NOT ABLE TO GET HELP.

>> SO WE ADDED THAT TO OUR INVESTIGATION A COUPLE YEARS AGO LOOKING AT WHETHER AIR CONDITIONING WAS PRESENT AND WE DID FIND IN A NUMBER OF THESE DEATHS, THE AIR CONDITIONING UNITS ARE THERE AND NOT FUNCTIONING.

>> Ted: TWO OUT OF THREE, NO POST SECONDARY SCHOOLING AND THAT WAS INTERESTING.

>> YEAH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF STATISTICS IN THERE AND WHAT IT MEANS AND HOW WE CAN ADDRESS THAT, THAT'S WITHIN OF ONE OF THOSE ONES THAT ARE HARDER.

IT MAY HELP US IN PUBLIC HEALTH TO DO OUTREACH AND WHAT KINDS OF PARTNERS WE'RE USING TO HELP KEEP PEOPLE SAFE.

>> Ted: I WANT TO GET TO THAT ANALYSIS AND 80% OF THE DEATHS OUTDOOR AND THAT MAKES SENSE, BUT NEARLY HALF OF INDOOR DEATHS WERE FEMALES AND WHAT'S THAT ABOUT?

>> I THINK THAT MAY BE MORE REFLECTIVE OF OUR POPULATION THAT IS UNSHELTERED AND SO SEEING A HIGHER DEGREE OF MEN REPRESENTED THERE AND THEN WOMEN MAY BE MORE REPRESENTED INDOORS.

>> Ted: YOU MENTIONED UNSHELTERED AND 178 OF THE 428 PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND AGAIN, NOT NECESSARILY THOSE PEOPLE, BUT IN TEMS OF THE OVERALL DEATHS.

>> ALCOHOL AND DRUGS AND AGAIN, JUST ELEVATING YOUR RISK AND IF YOU ARE LESS AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS, THAT INCREASING YOUR RISK TO HEAT-RELATED DEATHS.

>> Ted: 67% INVOLVE SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND OF THOSE 80% INVOLVE DRUG ABUSE AND HALF INVOLVE USING METH AND THAT'S A FACTOR?

>> THIS IS JUST KIND OF WEAR HEAT IN THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC CROSS PATHS AND, UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S NOT GOOD.

>> Ted: SO WHAT DO WE TAKE AND WHAT ANALYSIS AND WHERE DO WE GO AND THE CIVIC LEADERS, THEY GO, WE CAN DO WHAT?

>> MARICOPA COUNTY IS PART OF THE HEAT RELIEF NETWORK WHICH IS A LARK LARGE GROUP AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE DOING THE WORK OF PROVIDING COOLING CENTERS AND LOOKING AT HOW WE'RE GETTING TO THOSE PARTICULAR POPULATIONS AT HIGHER RISK.

THIS DATA REALLY HELPS US TO BRING THOSE PARTNERS TO THE TABLE AND MAKING SURE WE'RE MEETING PEOPLE WHERE THE NEED IS HIGHEST.

>> Ted: WHERE IS THE HIGHEST NEED AND WHICH PARTNERS ARE YOU LOOKING AT THE MOST AND HAS THE SHIFT FOCUSED OVER TIME?

>> SINCE WE SEE A HIGH NUMBER OF HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE AFFECTED, REACHING OUT TO THE SERVICES PROVIDING SHELTER SERVICES, MAKING SURE THEY'RE ON BOARD AND THAT WE ARE PROVIDING COOLING CENTERING IN PLACES WHERE INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS ARE CONGREGATING FOR EASIER ACCESS.

>> Ted: THESE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, IF THEY INCREASE, DO THESE NUMBERS INCREASE?

>> CERTAINLY, AND THAT'S WHAT'S REFLECTED IN THE DATA ABOUT DRUG AND ALCOHOL EXPOSURES.

IF WE SEE INCREASED USE OF DRUGS AND ALCOHOL, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT THE COUNTRY AND CERTAINLY THE COUNTY AND THE STATE IS HAVING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS.

SO WE SEE INCREASED USE OF THE SUBSTANCES AND THAT WILL AFFECT OUR HEAT-RELATED DEATHS.

>> Ted: LAST POINT HERE AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE TEMPERATURE TODAY, AND IT WAS 97° AND THAT'S A FACTOR, AS WELL.

NOT SO MUCH A HIGH OF 118, BUT YOU WOULD NEVER GET A CHANCE TO COOL OFF, ESPECIALLY OUTDOORS.

>> THAT'S A GOOD POINT AND WE FOCUS A LOT ON THOSE HIGH AND LOWS BEING A SIGNIFICANT RISK FACTOR.

BUT RIGHT NOW, EVERYONE NEEDS TO HAVE A PLAN FOR HOW THEY CAN COOL OFF IF THEY FIND THEMSELVES IN A SITUATION WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO GO.

>> Ted: DO YOU EXPECT RADICAL INTERVENTION, RADICAL IDEAS?

WE'RE HAVING RADICAL WEATHER RIGHT NOW AND NEXT YEAR'S NUMBERS WILL REFLECT THAT.

IS THIS THE TIME TO PUT THE MEDAL TOMED PEDAL TO THE MEDAL.

>> WE'RE GETTING INTERESTING TO STAY SAFE AND I HOPE THAT TRANSLATES INTO ACTION.

THERE ARE A LOT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ORGANIZATIONS WORKING DAY IN, DAY OUT TO GET THIS DONE.

>> Ted: THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Ted: UP NEXT, A LOOK AT NATIONAL HIGHER A VETERAN DAY.

>> THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR REPORTS EVERY YEAR, 200,000 MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY RETIRE OR LEAVE THE ARMED SERVICES AND NATIONAL HIRE A VETERAN DAY ENCOURAGES EMPLOYEES TO CONSIDER VETERANS LOOKING TO FILL JOB OPENINGS.

HERE IS THE FRANCHISE OWNER OF EXPRESS.

HIRE A VETERAN DAY AND WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?

>> TUESDAY, THE 25th IS HIRE A VETERAN DAY.

EVERY DAY COULD BE A DAY TO HIRE A VETERAN BUT SPECIFICALLY NEXT TUESDAY.

>> Ted: THE IDEA IS HOW BEST TO INSPIRE EMPLOYERS TO LOOK AT VETERANS AND SAY, THIS IS A PRETTY GOOD APPLICANT HERE.

>> I THINK IT'S MORE OF AN AWARENESS PIECE.

MARICOPA COUNTY HAS OVER 250,000 VETERANS HERE AND JUST GIVING THEM ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, HEY, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT VETERANS TO SEE HOW THEY CAN INCORPORATE INTO OUR ORGANIZATION.

>> SO YOU GOT YOUR NATIONAL HIRE A VETERAN'S DAY AND ARE THERE WAYS AND HOW BEST TO INSPIRE?

THESE KINDS OF DAYS HELP, BUT JUST THE REST OF THE CALENDAR YEAR, HOW DO YOU GET THAT MESSAGE ACROSS?

>> ONE OF THE BEST WAYS IS PUTTING INTO YOUR JOB POSTINGS OR YOUR ADS YOU'RE PUTTING UP AS AN EMPLOYER.

WELCOMES ARE WELCOME TO APPLY AND YOU CAN PUT THAT IN THE BODY OR TITLE TO CREATE AN AWARENESS.

THEN, AS WELL, THERE ARE FREE RESOURCES FOR EMPLOYERS TO BE ABLE TO TARGET VETERANS, FREE WEBSITES TO UPLOAD AND FREE TO CONTACT.

JUST GIVEN ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, YEAH, WE WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT HOW WE CAN GET VETERANS INTO THE WORKFORCE AND UTILIZE TEAR SKILLS.

>> Ted: WITHOUT THAT MESSAGE, DO SOME THINK THEY WON'T WANT ME AND IS THAT FEELING AMONG VETS?

>> ONE OF THE BIGGEST DISSONANCES, THERE ISN'T A DIRECT CORRELATION FOR THE POSITIONS.

I WAS SPEAKING WITH A VETERAN, HE WAS AN ENGINEER IN THE MILITARY AND THEN HE GOT INTO SALES ONCE HE GOT OUT.

HIS MINDSET IS, WELL, I KNOW I CAN DO ANYTHING AND YOU PUT ANY CHALLENGE IN FRONT OF ME AND I FEEL CONFIDENT IN MYSELF AND ABILITIES TO BE ABLE TO TACKLE THAT.

THERE'S SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES OUT THERE.

THERE'S 2.5 OPENINGS FOR EVERY PERSON THAT'S LOOKING FOR WORK OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.

AND SO, THE POSSIBILITIES OF WHAT THAT PERSON CAN DO ARE, YOU KNOW, PLENTIFUL.

>> Ted: THE UNIQUE SKILLS THE VETERANS BRING AND THE THE VALUE THEY BRING, THE GET-IT-DONE ATTITUDE, TALK US TO.

>> DISCIPLINE IS A WORD THAT COMES TO MIND.

IN THE MILITARY, YOU DON'T IS AN OPTION BUT SOMETHING YOU'RE GOING TO DO AND HAVING WORKED WITH SEVERAL VETERANS OVER THE YEARS, THEIR ABILITY TO GET IT DONE IS INCREDIBLE AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK TAKING ANOTHER STEP ON THAT, THE LEADERSHIP ASPECTS THAT THEY BRING, SOME OF THE BEST LEADERS I'VE WORKED FOR HAVE BEEN VETERANS AND, YOU KNOW, THEIR ABILITY TO INSPIRE, MOTIVATE AND ULTIMATELY, HOLD ACCOUNTABLE THEIR TEAMS WHO CAN HELP TO ELEVATE THAT TEAM TO ANOTHER LEVEL.

>> Ted: SO AN EMPLOYER IS LISTENING TO THIS RIGHT NOW AND I'M INTERESTED, I WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS.

WHAT SERVICES ARE OUT THERE?

WHAT'S OUT THERE FOR EMPLOYERS WHO WANT TO HIRE A VETERAN AND DON'T KNOW WHICH WAY TO TURN?

>> THEY GIVE TAX CREDITS FOR HIRING VETERANS AND THEN, YOU KNOW, SCORE WEBSITES LIKE INDEED.COM.

YOU CAN GO ON THERE AND ACCESS FREE OR FOR FREE VETERAN RESUMES SO THAT WAY YOU CAN CONTACT THEM DIRECTLY AND NO COST TO THE EMPLOYER.

>> Ted: THOSE SPECIFIC RESUMES ARE OUT THERE?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> Ted: THE RESOURCES ARE THERE?

>> THEY'RE OUT THERE.

>> Ted: WHAT ABOUT RESOURCES FOR VETERANS?

>> A TON OF FREE RESOURCES AND RECRUITING COMPANIES THAT DON'T CHARGE FOR THEIR SERVICES AND I MEAN, IT'S FREE TO UPLOAD YOUR RESUME ON A WEBSITE.

LIKE INDEED, THE LOCAL LIBRARIES HAVE A LOT OF RESOURCES, AS WELL, THAT YOU CAN GO ON AND ACCESS SEVERAL JOB BOARDS AT ONCE TO SEE THAT AND ONE OF THE THINGS I RECOMMEND TYPING THIS IS JUST THE WORLD "VETERAN" INTO WHATEVER SEARCH ENGINE.

LIKE I SAID EARLIER, IT'S VETERANS ENCOURAGE YOU TO APPLY AND CERTAIN CASES, THAT GIVES THEM AN ADVANTAGE OVER A CIVILIAN APPLICANT.

>> Ted: IS THERE A WAY FOR A VETERAN TO TYPE IN THEIR MILITARY COLD, CODE, EXPERTISE AND FIND A JOB OR JOB OPENING THAT MATCHES THAT?

ARE THOSE KINDS OF ALGORITHMS OUT THERE?

>> I DON'T THINK SOMETHING LIKE THAT EXISTS.

I THINK YOU HAVE TO LOOK MORE -- CERTAIN POSITIONS -- I LEARNED FROM SEVERAL RECRUITERS THAT THAT IS A DIRECT CORRELATION.

IF YOU'RE INFANTRY, THAT MAY NOT HAVE A DIRECT CORRELATION INTO THE CIVILIAN WORLD AND SOME DEPENDS ON THE TYPE OF POSITION YOU HELD IN THE MILITARY AND PART OF WHAT WE LOOK AT ALWAYS, AS WELL, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO?

IF YOU'RE A HELICOPTER MECHANIC IN THE MILITARY AND YOU HATE HELICOPTERS, MAYBE THAT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU WANT TO DO IN THE CIVILIAN WORLD.

SO ALSO IT'S TAKING A LOOK AT THE PERSON AND INDIVIDUAL AND SAYING WHAT DOES THIS PERSON WANT TO DO FOR THE NEXT THREE TO FIVE YEARS AND TARGETING SEARCHES THAT WAY.

>> Ted: IF YOU HAVE A SECURITY CLEARANCE, THAT OPENS UP A DIFFERENT SET OF OPPORTUNITIES.

>> ESPECIALLY OUT HERE IN ARIZONA.

I MEAN, WE'VE GOT SO MANY AEROSPACE COMPANIES WORK WIG WORKING WITH A COUPLE MOVING HERE AND ANYONE WITH AEROSPACE EXPERIENCE, THEY'RE MOVING ON THEM QUICKLY.

THAT GOES BACK TO GIVING THEM AN ADVANTAGE OVER CIVILIAN APPLICANT.

>> Ted: WHERE TO FIND OUT MORE FOR VETS AND HIRING VETS, WHERE DO YOU GET MORE FOR "HIRING A VETERAN DAY"?

>> REACH OUT TO ANY OF THE EXPRESS OFFICES IN THE VALLEY AND I THINK JUST ANY EMPLOYER THAT WANTS TO HAVE A JOB FAIR ON THAT DAY AND IS KIND OF A WALK-IN, ENVIRONMENT IS A GREAT WAY TO GET THE WORD OUT.

>> Ted: EXPRESS EMPLOYMENT PROFESSIONALS, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU, TED.

>> YOU'RE LISTENING TO PLAYLIST 48 ON ARIZONA PBS.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> THIS GOES BACK NOT HUNDREDS OF YEARS BUT MILLENNIA AND DO WE RECOGNIZE HOW RECENT THIS HISTORY IS AND DO WE RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S NOT ONLY IN OUR PAST, BUT IT'S OUR HERITAGE AND PRESENT?

>> Ted: ARIZONA WAS RECENTLY RANKED AS ONE OF THE TOP PLACES FOR SUMMER STARGAZING AND INDEED, ARIZONA HAD ONE OF THE TOP SIX BY MARKETPLACE.

WE HAVE THE PRESIDENT OF THE ASTRONOMY CLUB AND WELCOME TO ARIZONA HORIZON.

>> THANK YOU, TED.

>> Ted: I LOVE TALKING ABOUT STARS AND LOOKING AT THESE THINGS.

BUT ARIZONA, A TOP STARGAZING SPOT FOR THE SUMMER.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE TO YOU?

>> CERTAINLY NOT DOWN IN THE VALLEY RIGHT NOW.

SO IF YOU STARGAZE IN ARIZONA IN THE SUMMER, YOU HEAD FOR THE HILLS.

>> Ted: IN THE HILLS, SOME OF THE FACTORS WAS CLOUD COVER AND LOW LIGHT POLLUTION, POPULATION DENSITY AND UP INTO THE WHITE MOUNTAINS AND FLAGSTAFF, YOU CAN SEE THOSE STARS, CAN'T YOU?

>> OH, YES.

>> Ted: FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR, WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR AND FOR ME, IN THE BACKYARD, THE WINTER IS A FAR BETTER TIME BECAUSE THE AIR IS COLDER AND CLEARER AND SEEING MORE STUFF.

WHAT DO WE LOOK FOR?

>> WELL, WE'RE LOOKING FOR ANYTHING FROM WHAT I'LL CALL LOCAL EVENTS, THE MOON, PLANETS AND THEY'RE LOCAL ASTRONOMICALLY AND LOOKING FOR THE WONDERFUL CONSTERNATIONS AND THE MILKY WAY IS VISIBLE AND YOU CAN DO A LOT NAKED EYE OR A SIMPLE PAIR OF BEEBINOCULARS.

>> Ted: THE AIR IS CRISPER AND CLEARER.

DOWN IN THE CITY, IS IT UP IN THE MOUNTAINS?

>> ASTRONOMERS LIKE TO GET TO HIGHER ELEVATIONS FOR STEADIER AIR, SO IT'S NOT AS TURBULENT.

REMEMBER OR ATMOSPHERE IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS CRYSTAL CLEAR AND LIKE A SOUP AND MOVES AROUND.

IN THE WINTER, IT DOES TEND TO CALM DOWN.

>> Ted: DRIPPING SPRING WAS SECOND RANKED AND ARE YOU FAMILIAR?

>> DRIPPING SPRING, I AM NOT.

>> Ted: THEY MENTIONED IT HAD LOW LEVELS OF LIGHT POLLUTION AND CLEAR SKIES AND THAT'S IT, RIGHT?

THAT'S WHERE YOU GO?

>> THAT'S WHAT YOU WOULD BE LOOKING FOR.

>> Ted: FLAGSTAFF WAS RANKED FOURTH, SEDONA FIFTH AND THEY WERE MENTIONED AND THOSE ARE DOWNS AND DO YOU NEED TO GET OUT FROM THE DOWNTOWN?

>> YOU CAN, YES.

IT'S BETTER TO GET AWAY FROM AS MUCH LIGHT POLLUTION AS POSSIBLE.

BUT I CAN TELL YOU IN FLAGSTAFF, THEY HOST AN ANNUAL STAR PARTY IN SEPTEMBER AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL VIEWING JUST OUTSIDE OF TOWN.

>> Ted: INTERESTING!

THE VILLAGE OF OAK CREEK, THAT WAS FOURTH AND FOUNTAIN HILLS RANKED 16 AND IS THAT SURPRISING?

>> GOOD STARGAZING IN PHOENIX WHEN IT ISN'T SO ROASTING OUT THERE.

>> Ted: OTHER SPOTS AND FOUNTAIN HILL IS ELEVATED?

>> YOU CAN GO UP TO PLACES AROUND SOME OF THE MARICOPA COUNTY PARKS, BARTLET LAKE, AND OUT EAST ALONG THE APACHE TRAIL AND SOME PLACES OFF THE MAIN ROADS OUT BY SUPERIOR AWAY FROM THE PHOENIX LIGHT DOME AND ALL OF THESE WITHIN AN HOUR AND HOUR AND A HALF OF CENTRAL PHOENIX.

>> Ted: SOMEONE WHO LOOKS AT THE SKY AFTER MANY YEARS, LOOKS UP THERE AND SEES STARS, THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT, HOW BEST TO GET INTO STARGAZING WITHOUT HAVING TO DO FRACTIONS AND GEOMETRY?

>> I'VE CONSIDERED MYSELF A GEE WHIZ ASTRONOMER AND HOW CAN YOU GET STARTED?

VERY SIMPLY, DOWNLOAD STAR MAPS AND GO OUT WITH THAT STAR MAP AND SEE IF YOU CAN FIND THE CONSTELLATIONS ON THERE.

THAT'S ONE OF THE WAYS I GOT STARTED AND ANOTHER WAY LOOK UP A LOCAL ASTRONOMY CLUB ONLINE AND DO GOOGLE SEARCHING ON ASTRONOMY CLUBS IN YOUR AREA AND TRY TO GET TO SOME OF THE MEETINGS AND TALK TO SOME OF THE MEMBERS.

>> Ted: IS THERE A GUIDE ONLINE THAT YOU FIND ESPECIALLY ACCESSIBLE?

>> WELL, THERE'S SEVERAL APPS NOW THAT YOU CAN DOWNLOAD ON YOUR PHONE.

>> Ted: AND POINT THEM TO THE SKY?

>> IT'S AMAZING, TECHNOLOGY, AND WILL SHOW YOU WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.

THAT'S FUN AND SOMETHING YOU CAN DO AND I CAN'T RECOMMEND ONE OVER THE OTHER.

>> Ted: THERE WERE SPIRAL BOOKS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, BUT, AGAIN, IT CAN BE A LITTLE BIT INTIMIDATING FOR THOSE WHO AREN'T SURE WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT.

>> RIGHT MAGAZINES LIKE "SKY AND TELESCOPE" ASTRONOMY MAGAZINE, GEARED TO THE BEGINNING ATRONNER BEGINNING ASTRONOMER AND THAT'S A VERY GOOD RESOURCE.

>> Ted: THESE ASTRONOMY CLUBS AND WHAT HAPPENS AND WHAT GOES ON?

>> WELL, GENERALLY, WE GET TOGETHER AND THE MEMBERS WILL START TALKING ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING AT THE TIME, WHAT NEW EQUIPMENT THEY'VE BEEN PURCHASING AND THEN USUALLY, WE'LL HAVE A GUEST SPEAKER.

THAT COULD BE A RESEARCHER FROM ASU OR U OF A AND THEY'LL TELL US ABOUT THEIR RESEARCH AND THAT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT BEYOND JUST STARGAZING.

>> Ted: SOUNDS ABSOLUTELY FASCINATING.

IT'S WONDERFUL TO SEE WHAT RESEARCH IS GOING ON OUT THERE.

THANKS FOR JOINING US AND TALKING STARS.

I LOVE LOOKING AT THE STARS.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Ted: THAT'S IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING!