Event Details (U.S. National Park Service)

Fee:

Free.

Location: LAT/LONG: 36.000000, -112.000000

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, in the center of the open plaza where restroom buildings, the park store, and the bicycle rental are also located. View the map below.

Dates & Times

Date:

Thursday, June 6, 2024

Time:

7:30 PM

Duration:

3 hours and 30 minutes

Type of Event

Campfire/Evening Program

Talk

Description

South Rim Star Party 2024

Events include an evening program nightly outside the Visitor Center, in the plaza — at 8 pm, followed by telescope viewing in the large lot behind the Visitor Center.

Evening Program Thursday, June 6.

Science talk by Lowell Observatory Astronomer - speaker to be annouced
Learn about current research being conducted at Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff, Arizona.

To attend the evening programs, arrive before 8 pm —seating in the plaza is limited. Bring a folding chair, or cushions to sit on. Or arrive after dark and head straight to the telescope lot.

Park rangers and volunteers offer constellation tours at 9, 9:30, and 10 pm.

The theater program, constellation tours, and at least one telescope are wheelchair accessible.

During the 2024 Star Party, the last Village Route (blue) shuttle bus leaves Grand Canyon Visitor Center at 9:30 pm, so consider driving and parking in one of the Visitor Center lots. The closest accessible parking is in lot 4. Lots 1 through 3 offer additional parking with a short walk.

The South Rim Star Party is sponsored by the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association.

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.

Campground or lodging reservations are recommended.

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.

A light source is recommended for the walk to the viewing area, but white lights are not permitted on the Telescope Lot. Give your eyes time to dark-adapt, or use a red flashlight, easily made by covering any flashlight with red cellophane.

Become a Volunteer in 2024

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.

Sign up for the South Rim Star Party with the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association.

More information