Fountain is slated to present digital aerial photographs of geoglyphs and summit paths he shot.

Geoglyphs are a form of rock art where large portions of the earth’s surface are scraped away to form animal or human shapes. Hundreds of geoglyphs can be found along the lower Colorado and Gila rivers in Arizona.

Summit paths are three‑foot‑wide paths that go straight up the sides of hills. Their purpose may be related to rock art and geoglyphs, which are typically found near these sites.

Fountain, who began his career as an astronomer, did frequent work for NASA. From the University of Arizona, he helped analyze the first spacecraft pictures of the moon during the Ranger Project and co‑authored the Consolidated Lunar Atlas used by the Apollo astronauts.

He co‑discovered two of Saturn’s satellites and supervised the production of images of Jupiter and Saturn delivered from the Pioneer 10 and 11 spacecraft.

For the past 15 years, Fountain, a Tucson resident, has been investigating astronomical references in the rock art of Native Americans. His work has documented many rock art solstice and equinox markers and he has established a database of these solar markets, which he found are surprisingly common throughout North America.

The Desert Foothills Chapter has been active in Cave Creek and the Desert Foothills for nearly 30 years. For more information on the chapter and its meetings, contact president Judy Rounds at (602) 363‑6985.

Reach the reporter at barry@thedesertadvocate.com.