The Sky is a Time Machine | Evening Program | Grand Canyon Visitor Center
Special Event
Discover how gazing into the night sky is like having a time machine to the past. The farther away the star, the farther back in time you see!
Hear the true story of how starlight opened a World’s Fair and illustrated how the sky is like a time machine—every star you see tonight, you see as it looked in the past when the light left it. Maybe one of tonight’s stars is your “birthday star”!
This is an indoor presentation followed by an outdoor sky tour, pending weather. Please dress accordingly!
Amy Sayle, PhD, is a scientist, award-winning storyteller, writer, science communicator, media personality, and public scholar.
As a longtime educator at Morehead Planetarium at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, she communicates astronomy to the public under the planetarium sky, at skywatching events, and on night paddles. For nearly twenty years, she has presented interpretive programs at Bryce Canyon National Park’s annual astronomy festival that weave together the science of the night sky with sky lore from around the world.
As a founder of North Carolina’s annual Statewide Star Party, she partners with parks, museums, libraries, and historic sites to host a weekend of dozens of public skywatching events taking place from the NC mountains to the coast. Amy is an advocate for dark skies and life-long learning, evidenced from her diverse programming, many publications, and awards for an original astronomy tall tale and her young-adult manuscript, Swallow the Sun.
As a longtime educator at Morehead Planetarium at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, she communicates astronomy to the public under the planetarium sky, at skywatching events, and on night paddles. For nearly twenty years, she has presented interpretive programs at Bryce Canyon National Park’s annual astronomy festival that weave together the science of the night sky with sky lore from around the world.
As a founder of North Carolina’s annual Statewide Star Party, she partners with parks, museums, libraries, and historic sites to host a weekend of dozens of public skywatching events taking place from the NC mountains to the coast. Amy is an advocate for dark skies and life-long learning, evidenced from her diverse programming, many publications, and awards for an original astronomy tall tale and her young-adult manuscript, Swallow the Sun.
Fees
Free and open to the public
Location
From the South Entrance Station, continue following the road you are on for 5 miles, and it will lead you to the Visitor Center. Just before the parking areas, the road curves to the left. You can park your vehicle in one of four parking areas and find your way to the Visitor Center - and theater - in the center of the open plaza where restroom buildings, the park store, and the bicycle rental are also located.
Latitude and Longitude 36.059129, -112.109296
Schedule
Date:
Nov 25, 2026
Time:
6:30 PM
Duration:
2 hours
Contact Information
Grand Canyon Conservancy
Event Type
- Campfire/Evening Program
- Partner Program
Tags:
night sky, grand canyon conservancy, stargazing