Solar Viewing
When: 3 times per week, seasonally
Where: Varies
Duration: Come & go as you please.
Remember how Mom always said you shouldn't look at the sun and never through binoculars or a telescope? Well it's okay to do it with our special solar telescopes! Look for our staffed solar viewing station in front of the visitor center where you can get a safe look at our Sun -- the bringer of life and the giver of death!

Night Sky Programs
When: See Schedule Below
Where: Varies
Duration: 1 hr. multimedia show followed by 1-2 hrs telescope viewing.
There are few better places on planet Earth for astronomy! The night sky at Bryce is so dark we can see 7500 stars on a moonless night! Here, Venus will cause you to cast a shadow! Cherish this last grand sanctuary of natural darkness by attending an indoor multimedia show followed by sky viewing with telescopes (weather permitting).

 

Example Multimedia Astronomy Shows:

"Reaching WAY Out! The Latest in Space Exploration" by Patrick Wiggins. Patrick Wiggins is Bryce Canyon's "Founding Father of Astronomy"! 2009 marks Patrick's 25th year of providing astronomy programs at Bryce Canyon National Park. Patrick works for the University of Utah Physics Department, and is also a NASA Solar System Ambassador. Join Patrick for an insider's look at the latest in astronomy and international space exploration with humorous distinctions between science fiction and science fact.

"Dark Wars" by Park Ranger Kevin Poe. Across the globe, the reckless use of light aims to vanquish the night. A dedicated few rush to defend the few grand sanctuaries of the darkness that remain. Join Kevin for a tour of our "really big and really empty" universe with humorous discussions about the chances of being "visited" by aliens or asteroids. Learn how we can better manage our light so that it doesn't trespass on the night.

 

Special Guest Astronomers:

Salt Lake Astronomical Society (SLAS) -- SLAS is Utah's largest league of amateur astronomers. Bryce Canyon National Park is proud to have SLAS as a long term partner in interpreting astronomy and furthering our efforts to protect natural dark sky. Club members occasionally join us for our weekly astronomy programs and come in force for our annual Astronomy Festival (9th annual will be June, 2009. Watch for updated information). SLAS members graciously share with our visiting public their personally owned big telescopes and their love of the night sky. Click here to learn more about SLAS.

You! -- If you are interested in sharing your love of astronomy and natural dark skies, consider applying for a position as part of Bryce Canyon's Volunteer Astronomer Corps. Click here for more information.

COME CELEBRATE THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF ASTRONOMY - 400th anniversary of Galileo's telescope -- in the LAST GRAND SANCTUARY OF NATURAL DARKNESS!

2009 Night Sky Astronomy Program Schedule:
* This is a tentative schedule and all programs are subject to change. All programs are followed by stargazing with telescopes (weather permitting). Check at the visitor center for up-to-date information.
Click here for the brochure for the 9th Annual Astronomy Festival.

Day / Time	Date	Presenter - "Show Title"
Sun. 7:00pm	Jan. 18 NEW DATE!	Kevin Poe - "Dark Wars"
Sat. 7:00pm	Feb. 14	Kevin Doxstater - "Astronomy thru the Ages"
Sun. TBA	Feb. 15	Kevin Poe - "Dark Wars"
Sat. 7:00pm	Feb. 28	Kevin Poe - "Dark Wars"
Sat. 7:00pm	March 14	Kevin Doxstater - "Lunacy"
Sat. 7:30pm	March 28	Patrick Hair - "Climate Change & Astronomical Forces"
Sat. 8:00pm	April 11	Kevin Doxstater - "Lunacy"
Sat. 8:00pm	April 18	Kevin Poe - "Dark Wars"
Sat. 8:00pm	April 25	Kevin Poe - "Dark Wars"
Thur. 8:00pm	April 30	Kevin Poe - "Dark Wars"
Fri. TBA	May 8	TBA - Full Moon Hike (Tickets 1st-come, 1st-served from 8am Bryce Visitor Center)
Sat. TBA	May 9	TBA - Full Moon Hike (Tickets 1st-come, 1st-served from 8am Bryce Visitor Center
Tue. 8:30pm	May 12	Kevin Poe - "Scared of the Dark"
Thur. 8:30pm	May 14	Kevin Poe - "Dark Wars"
Sat. 8:30pm	May 16	Kevin Doxstater - "Astronomy thru the Ages"
Tue. 8:30pm	May 19	Kevin Poe - "Scared of the Dark"
Thur. 8:30pm	May 21	Kevin Poe - "Dark Wars"
Sat. 8:30pm	May 23	Kevin Doxstater - "Astronomy thru the Ages"
Thur. 8:30pm	May 28	Patrick Wiggins - "Reaching WAY Out! The Latest in Space Exploration"
Sat. 8:30pm	May 30	Kevin Doxstater - "Astronomy thru the Ages"
Tue. 8:30pm	June 2	Kevin Poe - "The Air of Our Ways"
Thur. 8:30pm	June 4	Kevin Poe - "Scared of the Dark"
Sat. 8:30pm	June 6	Kevin Doxstater - "Lunacy"
Sat. TBA	June 6	TBA - "Full Moon Hike" (Tickets 1st-come, 1st-served from 8am Bryce Visitor Center)
Sun. TBA	June 7	TBA - "Full Moon Hike" (Tickets 1st-come, 1st-served from 8am Bryce Visitor Center)
Sun. 8:30pm	June 7	Sean Duffy - "1st Star People"
Tue. 8:30pm	June 9	Kevin Poe - "The Air of Our Ways"
Thur. 8:30pm	June 11	Kevin Poe - "Dark Wars"
Sat. 8:30pm	June 13	Geoff Goins - "Strange Universe"
Wed. 8:30pm	June 17	9th Annual Astronomy Festival Keynote Speaker: Nat'l Science Foundation's John Stoke - "Hubble & Beyond, Far Beyond"
Thur. 8:30pm	June 18	9th Annual Astronomy Festival Guest Speaker: Amy Sayle - "Star Stories"
Fri. 8:30pm	June 19	9th Annual Astronomy Festival Guest Speaker: TBA
Sat. 8:30pm	June 20	9th Annual Astronomy Festival Guest Speaker: Wally Pacholka - "Starry, Starry Parks"
Tue. 8:30pm	June 23	TBA
Thur. 8:30pm	June 25	Patrick Wiggins - "Reaching WAY Out! The Latest in Space Exploration"
Sat. 8:30pm	June 27	Geoff Goins - "Strange Universe"
Tue. 8:30pm	June 30	Sean Duffy - "1st Star People"
Thur. 8:30pm	July 2	Astronomy evening program and stargazing
Sat. TBA	July 4	TBA
Mon. 8:30pm	July 6	Sean Duffy - "1st Star People"
Mon. 8:30pm	July 6	TBA - "Full Moon Hike" (Tickets 1st-come, 1st-served from 8am Bryce Visitor Center)
Tue. 8:30pm	July 7	TBA - "Full Moon Hike (Tickets 1st-come, 1st-served from 8am Bryce Visitor Center)
Tue. 8:30pm	July 7	Kevin Poe - "Scared of the Dark"
Thur. 8:30pm	July 9	TBA
Sat. 8:30pm	July 11	Geoff Goins - "Strange Universe"
Tue. 8:30pm	July 14	Sean Duffy - "1st Star People"
Thur. 8:30pm	July 16	TBA
Sat. 8:30pm	July 18	Geoff Goins - "Strange Universe"
Tue. 8:30pm	July 21	Sean Duffy - "1st Star People"
Thur. 8:30pm	July 23	Patrick Wiggins - "Reaching WAY Out! The Latest in Space Exploration"
Sat. 8:30pm	July 25	Geoff Goins - "Strange Universe"
Tue. 8:30pm	July 28	Sean Duffy - "1st Star People"
Thur. 8:30pm	July 30	Kevin Poe - "Dark Wars"
Sat. 8:30pm	Aug. 1	Geoff Goins - "Strange Universe"
Tue. 8:30pm	Aug. 4	Sean Duffy - "1st Star People"
Wed. 8:30pm	Aug. 5	Kevin Poe - "Scared of the Dark"
Wed. TBA	Aug. 5	TBA - "Full Moon Hike" (Tickets 1st-come, 1st-served from 8am Bryce Visitor Center)
Thur. TBA	Aug. 6	TBA - "Full Moon Hike" (Tickets 1st-come, 1st-served from 8am Bryce Visitor Center)
Thur. 8:30pm	Aug. 6	Kevin Doxstater - "Lunacy"
Sat. 8:30pm	Aug. 8	Geoff Goins - "Strange Universe"
Tue. 8:30pm	Aug. 11	Sean Duffy - "1st Star People"
Thur. 8:30pm	Aug. 13	Kevin Poe - "Dark Wars"
Sat. 8:30pm	Aug. 15	Geoff Goins - "Strange Universe"
Tue. 8:00pm	August 18	TBA
Thur. 8:00pm	August 20	Patrick Wiggins - "Reaching WAY Out! The Latest in Space Exploration"
Sat. 8:00pm	Aug. 22	Kevin Doxstater - "Astronomy thru the Ages"
Tue. 8:00pm	Aug. 25	Sean Duffy - "1st Star People"
Thur. 8:00pm	Aug. 27	Kevin Poe - "Dark Wars"
Sat. 8:00pm	Aug. 29	Kevin Doxstater - "Astronomy thru the Ages"
Tue. 8:00pm	Sept. 1	Kevin Poe - "Dark Wars"
Thur. 8:00pm	Sept. 3	Sean Duffy - "1st Star People"
Fri. 8:00pm	Sept. 4	Kevin Poe - "Scared of the Dark"
Fri. TBA	Sept. 4	TBA - "Full Moon Hike" (Tickets 1st-come, 1st-serve from 8am Bryce Visitor Center)
Sat. TBA	Sept. 5	TBA - "Full Moon hike" (Tickets 1st-come, 1st-serve from 8am Bryce Visitor Center)
Sat. 8:00pm	Sept. 5	Kevin Doxstater - "Lunacy"
Tue. 8:00pm	Sept. 8	Don Williams - "Journey to the Virgo Cluster"
Thur. 8:00pm	Sept. 10	Kevin Poe - "Dark Wars"
Sat. 8:00pm	Sept. 12	Kevin Doxstater - "Astronomy thru the Ages"
Tue. 7:30pm	Sept. 15	TBA
Weds. 7:30pm	Sept. 16	Patrick Wiggins "Reaching WAY Out! The Latest in Space Exploration"
Thur. 7:30pm	Sept. 17	TBA
Sat. 7:30pm	Sept. 19	Kevin Doxstater - "Astronomy thru the Ages"
Tue. 7:30pm	Sept. 22	TBA
Thur. 7:30pm	Sept. 24	Kevin Poe - "Dark Wars"
Sat. 7:30pm	Sept. 26	Kevin Doxstater - "Astronomy thru the Ages"
Tue. 7:30pm	Sept. 29	TBA
Thur. 7:30pm	Oct. 1	Kevin Poe - "Dark Wars"
Sat. 7:30pm	Oct. 3	Kevin Doxstater - "Lunacy"
Sat. TBA	Oct. 3	TBA - "Full Moon Hike" (Tickets 1st-come, 1st-serve from 8am Bryce Visitor Center)
Sun. TBA	Oct. 4	TBA - "Full Moon Hike" (Tickets 1st-come, 1st-serve from 8am Bryce Visitor Center)
Sun. 7:30pm	Oct. 4	TBA
Tue. 7:30pm	Oct. 6	TBA
Thur. 7:30pm	Oct. 8	Kevin Poe - "Dark Wars"
Sat. 7:30pm	Oct. 10	Kevin Doxstater - "Astronomy thru the Ages"
Tue. 7:30pm	Oct. 13	Patrick Wiggins - "Reaching WAY Out! The Latest in Space Exploration"
Sat. 7:30pm	Oct. 17	Kevin Doxstater - "Astronomy thru the Ages"
Thur. 7:30pm	Oct. 22	Kevin Poe - "Dark Wars"
Sat. 7:30pm	Oct. 24	Kevin Doxstater - "Astronomy thru the Ages"
Thur. 7:30pm	Oct. 29	Kevin Poe - "Dark Wars"
Sat. 7:30pm	Oct. 31	Kevin Doxstater - "Lunacy"
		Nov & Dec dates TBA

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