Atacama Desert

I am a quiet, sleepy place under a big, sunny sky. My sand is the color of orange juice and my mountains look like purple crayons. Sometimes, after a little bit of rain, I wake up and wear a surprise blanket of colorful flowers. I am the Atacama Desert.

I am one of the driest places in the whole wide world. It almost never rains here. That makes me special. Long, long ago, people called the Chinchorro lived here. They were very clever and knew how to find water and yummy fish from the nearby ocean. They showed that even in a super dry place like me, families can live and be happy. Scientists also think I look a lot like the planet Mars. They even bring their space robots here to practice driving them around on my red, dusty ground before sending them to outer space.

My favorite time is the nighttime. Because my air is so clear and dry, the stars sparkle like glitter spilled on a dark blue blanket. People travel from all over the world with giant telescopes, which are like big looking glasses, to peek at the stars and planets. On March 13th, 2013, they opened a huge star-gazing place to see even farther away. I love sharing my twinkling night sky. I help everyone see how big and beautiful the universe is, reminding you to always look up and dream.