Annual Astronomy Festival

At left 2008 Keynote Speaker Story Musgrave poses for a picture at Bryce Canyon. At right Story the Astronaut, Engineeer and Medical Doctor is repairing the Hubble Space Telescope in 1993 and appears to be whipsering reassuring enough words into Hubble's ear to put a smile on the old girl's face

NPS Photo by Kevin Poe / Hubble image by NASA

DR. STORY MUSGRAVE RETURNS!

Join us for our 13th Annual Astronomy Festival (June 5 - 8, 2013) where Bryce Canyon's Dark Rangers and the Salt Lake Astronomical Society welcomes back retired NASA astronaut Dr. Story Musgrave for his second appearance as our festival's keynote speaker. On Friday, June 7 at 9pm, Story will present about his epic mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope and how a Massachusetts farm boy from a troubled home, earned 4 gradaute degree, including a Ph.D in medicine, and became one of the world's most famous astronauts.

Having trouble finding a place to stay? Consider our Bryce Canyon Campgrounds or check the local accomodations guide at Garfield County Travel Council website.

 

Salt Lake Astronomical Society preparing their telescopes for an evening of stargazing

NPS photo by Kevin Doxstater

DAY 1: WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5

• 10:00am-12:00 Noon (open house)
  SOLAR ASTRONOMY @ Bryce Canyon Visitor Center
  
  
• 10:00am-12:00 noon (assembly) and 12:30-3:00pm (launch ops) MODEL ROCKET BUILDING & LAUNCHING workshop @ Bryce Canyon City Fire Station/Emergency Service Bldg. (kits with motor from $10-$30 - purchase rocket kit voucher at Visitor Center bookstore)
  
  
• 4:00-5:30pm PLANET WALK @ Bryce Canyon Visitor Center
  
  
• 6:00-7:00pm PLANISPHERE PRACTICE @ Bryce Canyon Visitor Center Theater
  
  
• 3 CONCURRENT PRESENTATIONS - FREE tickets must be obtained in person @ Bryce Canyon Visitor Center beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday.
  
  - 8:00-9:00pm @ Bryce Canyon Visitor Center: "The First Star People" Bryce Dark Ranger Sean Duffy
  
  - 8:30-9:30pm @ Bryce Canyon Lodge Auditorium: "Forgotten Astronomers" Planetarium Director, Seminole State College, Derek Demeter
  
  - 9:00-10:00pm @ North Campground Amphitheater: Strange Universe" Bryce Dark Ranger Geoff Goins
  
  
• 9:00pm-12:30am STARGAZING @ The Bryce Canyon Visitor Center's trailer drop-off/overflow parking lot:
  
  HUGE TELESCOPES provided by the Salt Lake Astronomical Society
  
  CONSTELLATION TOURS by Bryce Canyon's Dark Rangers

 

Dark Ranger Randy Dunning assists child in preparing model rocket for launch.

NPS photo by Kevin Doxstater

DAY 2: THURSDAY, JUNE 6

• 10:00am-12:00 Noon (open house)
  SOLAR ASTRONOMY @ Bryce Canyon Visitor Center
  
  
• 10:00am-12:00 noon (assembly) and 12:30-3:00pm (launch ops) MODEL ROCKET BUILDING & LAUNCHING workshop @ Bryce Canyon City Fire Station/Emergency Service Bldg. (kits with motor from $10-$30 - purchase rocket kit voucher at Visitor Center bookstore)
  
  
• 4:00-5:30pm PLANET WALK @ Bryce Canyon Visitor Center
  
  
• 6:00-7:00pm PLANISPHERE PRACTICE @ Bryce Canyon Visitor Center Theater
  
  
• 3 CONCURRENT PRESENTATIONS - FREE tickets must be obtained in person @ Bryce Canyon Visitor Center beginning at 10:00 p.m. Wednesday night.
  

- 8:00-9:00pm @ Bryce Canyon Visitor Center: "Star Stories" Planetarium Educator Amy Sayle

- 8:30-9:30pm @ Bryce Canyon Lodge Auditorium: "Reaching Way Out" NASA Solar System Ambassador, Patrick Wiggins.

- 9:00-10:00pm @ North Campground Amphitheater: "Mapping the Andromeda Galaxy thru Crowd Sourcing" University of Utah Astronomer Anil Seth, PhD.

• 9:00pm-12:30am STARGAZING @ The Bryce Canyon Visitor Center's trailer drop-off/overflow parking lot:
  
  HUGE TELESCOPES provided by the Salt Lake Astronomical Society.
  
  CONSTELLATION TOURS by Bryce Canyon's Dark Rangers

 

Children watching each other's model rockets launch

NPS photo by Kevin Doxstater

DAY 3: FRIDAY, JUNE 7

• 10:00am-12:00 Noon (open house)
  SOLAR ASTRONOMY @ Bryce Canyon Visitor Center
  
  
• 10:00am-12:00 noon (assembly) and 12:30-3:00pm (launch ops) MODEL ROCKET BUILDING & LAUNCHING workshop @ Bryce Canyon City Fire Station/Emergency Service Bldg. (kits with motor from $10-$30 - purchase rocket kit voucher at Visitor Center bookstore)
  
  
• 4:00-5:30pm PLANET WALK @ Bryce Canyon Visitor Center
  
  
• 6:00-7:00pm PLANISPHERE PRACTICE@ Bryce Canyon Visitor Center Theater
  
  
• 9:00-10:00pm KEYNOTE:
  Astronaut Story Musgrave
  (see above)
  @ Ruby's Inn's Ebenezer's Barn & Grill
  1000+ tickets available at the door
  $3.00 per person
  $10.00 per immediate family
  (Children 5 and under Free)
  
  
• 10:00pm-12:30am STARGAZING @ The Bryce Canyon Visitor Center's trailer drop-off/overflow parking lot:
  
  HUGE TELESCOPES provided by the Salt Lake Astronomical Society and the Astronomical League.
  
  CONSTELLATION TOURS by Bryce Canyon's Dark Rangers

 

Dark Ranger Angie Richman brings  ancient stories to life during a 20-min constellation tour.

John Sefick

DAY 4: SATURDAY, JUNE 8

• 10:00am-12:00 Noon (open house)
  SOLAR ASTRONOMY @ Bryce Canyon Visitor Center
  
  
• 10:00am-12:00 noon (assembly) and 12:30-3:00pm (launch ops) MODEL ROCKET BUILDING & LAUNCHING workshop @ Bryce Canyon City Fire Station/Emergency Service Bldg. (kits with motor from $10-$30 - purchase rocket kit voucher at Visitor Center bookstore)
  
  
• 4:00-5:30pm PLANET WALK @ Bryce Canyon Visitor Center
  
  
• 3 CONCURRENT PRESENTATIONS - FREE tickets must be obtained in person @ Bryce Canyon Visitor Center beginning at 10:00 p.m. Friday night.
  

- 8:30-9:30pm @ Bryce Canyon Visitor Center Theater: "Journey to the Virgo Cluster" by Bryce Canyon Dark Ranger Don Williams

- 9:00-10:00pm @ Bryce Canyon Lodge Auditorium: "Astronomy thru the Ages" by Bryce Canyon Dark Kevin Doxstater

- 9:30-10:30pm @ North Campground Amphitheater: "Dark Wars" by Bryce Canyon Dark Ranger Kevin Poe

• 10:00pm-12:30am STARGAZING @ The Bryce Canyon Visitor Center's trailer drop-off/overflow parking lot:
  
  HUGE TELESCOPES provided by the Dark Rangers of Bryce Canyon, Cedar Breaks, Great Basin, & Zion National Parks
  
  CONSTELLATION TOURS by Bryce Canyon's Dark Rangers