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Grand Canyon National Park is one of the best places in the world to enjoy pristine night skies.
Not able to attend Grand Canyon Star Party? No worries! We offer astronomy programs year-round! Check out our Upcoming Night Sky Events page.
Things to Know about the 2025 Star Party
Attend this free, open to the general public, event. The park entrance fee, is good on both South and North rims for 7 days. No additional tickets or sign-up is required.
The event begins at sunset, although the best viewing is after 9 pm and many telescopes come down after 11 pm; however, on nights with clear, calm skies, some astronomers continue sharing their telescopes into the night.
Dress warmly. Temperatures drop quickly after sunset—even during summer months.
View an assortment of planets, double stars, star clusters, nebulae and distant galaxies by night, and perhaps the Sun or Venus by day.
Skies will be starry and dark until the moon rises the first night. It rises progressively later throughout the week of the Star Party.
Bring a Red Flashlight
Make your way safely: use a red flashlight; white flashlights and cell phone lights are discouraged on the telescope lot. Make a red flashlight by:
Covering any flashlight with red cellophane; a limited supply of cellophane and rubber bands are available prior to the evening presentations at the Grand Canyon Visitor Center.
Painting the flashlight lens with red nail polish or a red magic marker.
For more on why red flashlights are helpful, and how the human eye works after dark, click here.
South Rim Star Party 2025
Events include nightly evening programs from special guest speakers at 8:00 pm outdoors, in the plaza in front of the Visitor Center. The speakers and program topics are listed below, To get a good seat arrive early —seating is limited. Bring a folding chair, or cushions to sit on.
The evening programs are followed by telescope viewing in the large lot behind the Visitor Center. Follow the red rope lights to the telescope lot.
Park rangers offer constellation tours at 9:00, 9:30, and 10:00 pm. The evening program, constellation tours, and at least one telescope are wheelchair accessible.
Plan on driving your vehicle and parking in Visitor Center lots 1 through 4, since the last Village (Blue) Route shuttle is at 9:30 pm. Lot 4 provides the nearest accessible parking.
The South Rim Star Party is sponsored by the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association.
Amateur astronomers from across the country volunteer their expertise and offer free nightly astronomy programs and telescope viewing during this special annual event.
Star Party Evening Programs (South Rim)
Presentations take place outdoors in the plaza in front of the Visitor Center. Presentations start at 8 pm. (Limited-capacity seating - so bring a folding chair or cushions to sit on.)
Saturday, June 21st
Iron Rain and Supersonic Winds: What Exo-Jupiters Can Teach Us About Our Own Solar System
Discover the wonders and current research of hot-Jupiter-like planets across our galaxy.
Dr. James Sikora - Astronomer at Lowell Observatory
Sunday, June 22nd
How Stars Shape Worlds
Learn about cutting-edge research about space-weather environments around stars.
Dr. Tyler Richey-Yowell - Astronomer at Lowell Observatory
Monday, June 23rd
Tour of the Universe: You are Here
Rocket through space and sail among billions of stars and galaxies as you contemplate the mind-blowing scale of the universe.
Dean Regas - Author, astronomer, host of "Looking Up" podcast
Tuesday, June 24th
Astronaut Training at the Grand Canyon
Discover the amazing history of the Apollo astronauts' connection to Grand Canyon!
Kevin Schindler - Author, Historian at Lowell Observatory
Wednesday, June 25th
Galaxies: Inside the Universe’s Star Cities
Learn about the incredible diversity and sheer number of galaxies in our universe.
David Eicher - Editor-in-Chief of Astronomy Magazine
Thursday, June 26th
Exploring the Hopi Cosmos
Discover the Hopi peoples’ cultural connections to the cosmos through artwork.
Gerald Dawavendewa - Hopi Artist
Friday, June 27th
Dark Sky Piano Performance
Listen to a beautiful piano performance themed around dark skies!
Dr. David Koerner - Astronomer, musician in the Dark Skies Quartet
Saturday, June 28th
The Amazing Nuwuvi Universe
Soar into space with an indigenous astronomer and learn about the cultural connection that the Southern Paiute have with the dark sky.
Autumn Gillard - Southern Paiute Astronomer
Constellation Talks (South Rim)
Constellation talks happen every night of the event: 9, 9:30 and 10 pm
Telescope viewing on the veranda of Grand Canyon Lodge on the North Rim
Photo courtesy of Christian Schroll
North Rim Star Party 2025
Telescopes are set up on the porch of the Grand Canyon Lodge every evening. An astronomy related evening program will be presented at 7:30 pm in the auditorium of Grand Canyon Lodge. Check park bulletin boards for the evening program schedule.
Constellation talks are also given throughout the evening.
By day, look for solar telescopes set up at various locations.
The North Rim Star Party is sponsored by the Saguaro Astronomy Club of Phoenix, Arizona.
Star Party Evening Programs (North Rim)
North Rim Lodge Auditorium
Presentations start at 7:30 pm. (Limited-capacity seating)
Saturday, June 21, 2025 Kevin Schindler "Astronaut training at the Grand Canyon "
Astronomer in Residence Alumni
Sunday, June 22, 2025 Kevin Schindler Dark Skies Over Arizona
Astronomer in Residence Alumni
Monday, June 23, 2025 David Koerner At home in the Cosmos
Astronomer in Residence Alumni
Tuesday, June 24, 2025 Dean Regas Tour of the Universe: You are Here
Astronomer in Residence Alumni
Wednesday, June 25, 2025 Dean Regas Archeoastronomy
Astronomer in Residence Alumni
Thursday, June 26, 2025 Dean Regas Deep Space: What Can I See Out There?
Astronomer in Residence Alumni
Friday, June 27, 2025 Lauren Camp Poetry Under the Stars
Astronomer in Residence Alumni
Saturday, June 28, 2025 Jason Hoover
Basic Milky Way photography
VIP, Saguaro Astronomy Club
Become a Volunteer in 2025
All amateur astronomers interested in sharing the skies with visitors are invited to participate. Whether you can volunteer for a few days or the whole event, you can help to enrich the lives of people from all over the world.
Find volunteer opportunities for day and night telescopic outreach, visual and imaging, laser guided constellation tours, demonstration toolkits and auditorium presentations. Register through the astronomy clubs sponsoring the event, links provided.
Rader Lane - Dark Skies Program Manager
Grand Canyon National Park
(928) 638-7641
Future Star Party Dates
2025: June 21 - 28
2026: June 6 - 13
2027: May 29 - June 5
2028: June 17 - 24
2029: June 2 - 9
2030: June 22 - 29
2031: June 14 -21
2032: June 5 -12
2033: June 18 - 25
2034: June 10 -17
2035: June 2 - 9
Experience the mystery and wonder of Grand Canyon National Park's night sky with Astronomer Tyler Nordgren and Park Ranger Rader Lane. Explore the beauty of the night sky and learn what you can do to help preserve it.
