A crowd of people at an amphitheater presentation with a telescope in the foreground.

Badlands Astronomy Festival

Badlands National Park

Special Event
  • Jul 14, 2023 at 9:00 AM
  • Free

The Annual Badlands Astronomy Festival brings together space science professionals, amateur astronomers, educators, youth groups, and park visitors for a stellar experience. Celebrate the beauty of a dark night sky and the wonder of space exploration. 

Novices and experts alike will enjoy daily family-friendly activities and evening presentations with special guest speakers. In the past, activities have included planetarium visits, solar telescope viewings, technology demonstrations, and more. Nightly telescope viewings will be sponsored by the NPS Night Sky Program and event partners.

This three-day celebration at Badlands National Park will support the continued protection and enjoyment of our incredible night skies as a precious natural resource. Although light pollution threatens dark skies across the globe, the Badlands are nestled in a corner of the Great Plains where light pollution is not a prevalent issue. Come celebrate the dark skies of the park with us!

More information

Fees

This event is free to the public.

Location

The Ben Reifel Visitor Center will be the primary location for orientation and daytime events. Nightly events will be held at the amphitheater on the north side of the Cedar Pass Campground.

Latitude and Longitude 43.749080, -101.941661

Schedule

Date:

Jul 14, 2023

Time:

9:00 AM

Duration:

1 hour

The event schedule will be posted on our website as soon as each event is confirmed. Events from the previous year are posted on our website.

Contact Information

Ed Welsh
(605) 433-5244
Contact Us

Event Type

  • Festival
Tags: badlands national park, astronomy, dark skies, telescope viewing, solar viewing, family activities