Dark Sky Programs

Immaculate Night Sky

In the United States, there are limited places where you can visibly see the Milky Way galaxy with your own eyes. Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument is one of those places you can experience the breathtaking sight of the Milky Way because of minimal light pollution. The Abó, Quarai, and Gran Quivira units of the park offer exceptional dark skies, which led to the park receiving its DarkSky International accreditation in 2016.

How Can I Experience the Darkness?

Although the park grounds close at 4:00 pm in the winter and 5:00 pm in the summer, there are still opportunities to experience the night sky at the park. Throughout the year from May through October, park staff and volunteers host dark sky programs at the park units. These programs usually consist of a ranger guided sunset mission and pueblo walk, stargazing opportunities with the park telescopes, a dark sky photography workshop, and more!

 

The Milky Way visible at Gran Quivira

NPS Photo by Park Guide Alex Arnold

2026 Dark Sky Events at Salinas Pueblo Missions

Date	Location	Time
May 15th	Abó	7:00 pm - 9:30 pm
June 12th	Abó	7:30 pm - 10:00 pm
July 17th	Abó	7:30 pm - 10:00 pm
August 14th	Abó	7:30 pm - 10:00 pm
September 11th	Abó	6:30 pm - 9:00 pm
October 9th	Abó	6:00 pm - 8:30 pm

 

How Can I Prepare for a Dark Sky Event?

• Arrive at the location of the event and meet park staff and volunteers at the site location's visitor center
• Bring water and snacks
• Wear comfortable footwear
• Bring any stargazing gear like binoculars
• Bring your cameras
• Check the park website and social medias for event changes/cancellations
• Bring red filtered flashlights to help navigate without impairing others
• When on-site, be sure to stay on the marked trails at all times for both nature's and your protection

 

Milky Way galaxy diving behind the remnants of the church of San Gregorio de Abó II

NPS Photo by Park Guide Alex Arnold

Stargazing Tips

Local sunset and sunrise times change with the seasons, and weather can vary, so remember to plan ahead before each event.

Year-Round Visible Features

• The Moon
• Milky Way Galaxy
• Satellites
• Meteor showers

Summer Sky Features

• Milky Way Galaxy is best visible
• Constellations: Sagittarius, Scorpius, Ursa major (Big Dipper), Ursa minor (Little Dipper), Corona Borealis, Cygnus
• Planets: Jupiter and Saturn

Winter Sky Features

• Clearest skies
• Constellations: Orion, Cassiopeia, Taurus, Gemini
• Planets: Venus and Mars
• Other Stars: Pleiades star cluster, Sirius

How Can You Help Protect the Night Skies at Home

• Install motion activated, fully shielded outdoor lighting
• Use warm colored, LED bulbs
• Switch off any unneccesary lighting at home