Celebrate the Dark Night Sky at Heritage Starfest on September 30 and October 1, 2016

Date: September 17, 2016
Contact: Visitor Center, 435-425-3791

Capitol Reef National Park and the Entrada Institute are partnering to present the 7^th annual Heritage Starfest. The weekend will be full of special events, guest speakers, stargazing, telescope viewing, storytelling and more. The dark skies of Wayne County and Capitol Reef are among the darkest in the nation allowing visitors from around the world to enjoy pristine skies full of stars, constellations, and the Milky Way. This event celebrates dark sky resources and the connection all living things have to the natural rhythms of the night. It is also an opportunity to celebrate the many contributions made by the late Linton Rohr.

Friday, September 30 - Capitol Reef National Park, UT

• 11:00 am –1:00 pm. Solar Telescope and viewing of sun flares at the visitor center.
• 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm. Daytime astronomy programs at Ripple Rock Nature Center.
• 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Evening program with guest speaker Seth Jarvis, Director of the Clark Planetarium in Salt Lake Cityat the campground amphitheater.
• 9:00 pm to 11:00 pm. Stargazing at the campground amphitheater with local and regional astronomers. Dress warmly.

Saturday, October 1 –Robbers Roost Bookstore, Torrey, UT

• 7:30 pm-8:30 pm. Evening program with guest speaker Seth Jarvis, Director of the Clark Planetarium in Salt Lake City
• 8:30 pm and beyond. Stargazing behind the bookstore. Dress warmly.

All events are free and open to the public. Learn about the Entrada Institute and the Heritage Starfest at www.entradainstitute.org. Visit www.ida.org to learn about the International Dark Sky Association. Special thanks to members of the Salt Lake Astronomical Society (www.SLAS.org). Information about Capitol Reef National Park can be found at www.nps.gov/care.