Friday, August 11th
Dickey Ridge Visitor Center (mile 4.6) and Mathews Arm Campground (mile 22.1)
11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. | Astronomy is All Greek to Me
Time travel back to 500 B.C.E. through the stars of Shenandoah's night sky! Learn about the origins of many of our constellation names and the ancient astronomy - and mythology - behind them. Dickey Ridge Visitor Center Lawn, 20-30 minutes. Wheelchair accessible & assistive listening available.
7:30 p.m. - 8:15 p.m. | Shenandoah Nightlife
When most humans and wildlife have gone to sleep, a few select animals are busy starting their day. Learn how these incredible creatures survive and thrive under the night sky. Mathews Arm Campground Amphitheater, 45 minutes. Wheelchair accessible & assistive listening available.
Skyland Amphitheater (mile 42.5)
8:30 p.m. - 9:15 p.m. | The Many Parks of the Many Moons
Take an astronomical road trip to the satellites of our solar system and see what might draw visitors to these distant orbiting rocks! Skyland Amphitheater, 45 minutes. Wheelchair accessible & assistive listening available.
9:30 p.m. - 10:15 p.m. | Skyland Star Party
Join a Ranger for an exploration of the night sky. Bring a lawn chair or blanket. Skyland Amphitheater, 45 minutes. Wheelchair accessible & assistive listening available.
Big Meadows and Byrd Visitor Center (mile 51)
10:00 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. | Guiding Lights
Discover stories in the stars, design your own constellation, and find out how animals rely on dark skies. Byrd Visitor Center lawn, 45 minutes. Wheelchair accessible & assistive listening available.
12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. | Solar Viewing
Explore Earth’s brightest star, the Sun with a NASA Solar System Ambassador! Byrd Visitor Center lawn, 1 hour. Assistive listening available.
1:30 p.m. - 1:50 p.m. | Stellar Space Weather
Discover what weather is like on different planets, in space, and how space weather affects us here on Earth. Byrd Visitor Center, 15-20 minutes. Wheelchair accessible & assistive listening available.
2:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. | Jr Ranger Night Explorer
Grab a Junior Ranger Night Explorer book and join a ranger to learn how to earn your Night Explorer badge! Free booklet available at presentation. Byrd Visitor Center lawn, 30 minutes. Wheelchair accessible & assistive listening available.
3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. | Making Art in the Dark
Join Artist-in-Residence Paul Atkinson as he shares his approach to night sky landscape photography. See his work in progress under Shenandoah National Park’s night skies and hear about the growing threat of light pollution. Byrd Visitor Center auditorium, 1 hour. Wheelchair accessible & assistive listening available.
5:00 p.m. - 5:45 p.m. | The Chesapeake Bay Impact Crater
Join NASA Solar System Ambassador, Greg Redfern, to learn about America’s largest known impact crater is under the Chesapeake Bay at Cape Charles, VA; hear the inside story. Byrd Visitor Center auditorium, 45 minutes. Wheelchair accessible & assistive listening available.
6:00 p.m. - 6:45 p.m. | Shenandoah Skies & the Perseids
Join NASA Solar System Ambassador, Greg Redfern, to admire the beauty of the night skies here in Shenandoah National Park while learning about the wonders of the annual Perseid meteor shower! Byrd Visitor Center auditorium, 45 minutes. Wheelchair accessible & assistive listening available.
Loft Mountain Amphitheater (mile 79.5)
9:30 p.m. - 10:15 p.m. | Loft Mountain Star Party
Join a Ranger for an exploration of the night sky. Loft Mountain Amphitheater, 45 minutes. Wheelchair accessible & assistive listening available.
Saturday, August 12th
Dickey Ridge Visitor Center (mile 4.6) and Mathews Arm Campground (mile 22.1)
11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. | Creatures of the Night
Learn about one of Shenandoah's nighttime residents and how they might be less scary than you think! Bats are one of the many animals here in the park that need a little help with an image change. Dickey Ridge Visitor Center Lawn, 20-30 minutes. Wheelchair accessible & assistive listening available.
7:30 p.m. - 8:15 p.m. | Life Amongst the Stars
Learn how Shenandoah's ecosystems are a part of "spaceship Earth" and how other planets we observe at night may or may not have the conditions for life to occur. Mathews Arm Campground Amphitheater, 45 minutes. Wheelchair accessible & assistive listening available.
Big Meadows and Byrd Visitor Center (mile 51)
10:00 a.m. - 10:45 a.m | Guiding Lights
Discover stories in the stars, design your own constellation, and find out how animals rely on dark skies. Byrd Visitor Center lawn, 45 minutes. Wheelchair accessible & assistive listening available.
12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. | Solar Viewing
Explore Earth’s brightest star, the Sun with a NASA Solar System Ambassador! Byrd Visitor Center lawn, 1 hour. Assistive listening available.
1:30 p.m. - 1:50 p.m. | Going Batty
Who are the dazzling, diving, daredevils, those tiny fliers performing amazing aerial acrobatics? Discover Shenandoah’s nine species of bats, including one endangered species. Byrd Visitor Center, 15-20 minutes. Wheelchair accessible & assistive listening available.
2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. | Young Naturalists
Discover Shenandoah’s nocturnal side at this interactive program designed for kids (accompanied by an adult). Byrd Visitor Center, 1-½ hours. Assistive listening available.
4:00 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. | Solar System Scramble
Learn about each planet and their role in the solar system as you recreate their dance through the sky. Byrd Visitor Center lawn, 45 minutes. Wheelchair accessible & assistive listening available.
5:00 p.m. - 5:45 p.m. | When Rocks Attack: Defending Earth from Asteroids
Planetary scientist and astronaut, Tom Jones, describes the threat to Earth from rogue asteroids, what we can do about them, and how these ancient rocks can serve as stepping stones to Mars and enable a brighter future for Earth. Byrd Visitor Center auditorium, 45 minutes. Wheelchair accessible & assistive listening available.
6:00 p.m. - 6:45 p.m. | Shenandoah Skies & the Perseids
Join NASA Solar System Ambassador, Greg Redfern, to admire the beauty of the night skies here in Shenandoah National Park while learning about the wonders of the annual Perseid meteor shower! Byrd Visitor Center auditorium, 45 minutes. Wheelchair accessible & assistive listening available.
7:00 p.m. - 7:45 p.m. | Beyond Earth: Humanity’s Future in Space
Join veteran astronaut and space scientist, Tom Jones, to learn about breakthroughs that open space to scientific exploration and commercial opportunities. Byrd Visitor Center auditorium, 45 minutes. Wheelchair accessible & assistive listening available.
8:30 p.m. - 9:15 p.m. | We’re Not the Only Rock in Space
Explore the different rocks that can be found in the solar system in this planetary geology program. Big Meadows Amphitheater, 45 minutes. Wheelchair accessible & assistive listening available.
9:30 p.m. - 10:15 p.m. | Big Meadows Star Party
Join a Ranger for an exploration of the night sky. Bring a lawn chair or blanket. Park at Byrd Visitor Center with a short walk to Rapidan Fire Road. Handicap parking available at Rapidan Fire Road (mile 51.2), 45 minutes. Wheelchair accessible & assistive listening available.
10:30 p.m. - 11:15 p.m. | Telescope Party
Join amateur astronomers to watch the stars and Perseid Meteor Shower, featuring: Rappahannock Astronomy Club, Richmond Astronomical Society, and Shenandoah Valley Stargazers. Park at Byrd Visitor Center with a short walk to Rapidan Fire Road. Handicap parking available at Rapidan Fire Road (mile 51.2), 45 minutes. Wheelchair accessible.
Sunday, August 13th
Dickey Ridge Visitor Center (mile 4.6) and Mathews Arm Campground (mile 22.1)
11:00 a.m. - 11: 30 a.m. | The Anchor of the Sky
From exploration to story inspiration the north star has played an important role in the lives of our ancestors, and we can make connections with the past by exploring the Night Sky at places like Shenandoah. Dickey Ridge Visitor Center Lawn, 20-30 minutes. Wheelchair accessible & assistive listening available.
9:30 p.m. - 10:15 p.m. | Mathews Arm Star Party
Join a Ranger for an exploration of the night sky. Bring a lawn chair or blanket. Mathews Arm Campground Amphitheater parking lot, 45 minutes. Wheelchair accessible & assistive listening available.
Big Meadows and Byrd Visitor Center (mile 51)
11:00 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. | Sky Walking: An Astronaut’s Journey
Join space traveler Tom Jones on a virtual spaceflight: a rumbling blast-off, a spacewalk at the International Space Station, and a fiery return to Earth. Byrd Visitor Center auditorium, 45 minutes. Wheelchair accessible & assistive listening available.
12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. | Solar Viewing
Explore Earth’s brightest star, the Sun with a NASA Solar System Ambassador! Byrd Visitor Center lawn, 1 hour. Assistive listening available.
1:30 p.m. - 1:50 p.m. | Solar Spectacular
Learn about our home star and how its light powers our earth. Then use the power of the sun to make your own sunprint. Byrd Visitor Center, 15-20 minutes. Wheelchair accessible & assistive listening available.
2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. | Young Naturalists
Discover Shenandoah’s nocturnal side at this interactive program designed for children (accompanied by an adult). Byrd Visitor Center, 1-½ hours. Assistive listening available.
5:00 p.m. - 5:45 p.m. | The Chesapeake Bay Impact Crater
Join NASA Solar System Ambassador, Greg Redfern, to learn about America’s largest known impact crater is under the Chesapeake Bay at Cape Charles, VA; hear the inside story. Byrd Visitor Center auditorium, 45 minutes. Wheelchair accessible & assistive listening available.
6:00 p.m. - 6:45 p.m. | Shenandoah Skies & the Perseids
Join NASA Solar System Ambassador, Greg Redfern, to admire the beauty of the night skies here in Shenandoah National Park while learning about the wonders of the annual Perseid meteor shower! Byrd Visitor Center auditorium, 45 minutes. Wheelchair accessible & assistive listening available.
9:00 p.m. - 9:45 p.m. | The Future of US Human Spaceflight
Learn where NASA is headed, literally, with new manned spacecraft and rockets to launch the next generation of American astronauts. Sponsored by Delaware North Companies, Big Meadows Lodge Massanutten Room, 45 minutes. Wheelchair accessible & assistive listening available.