Night Sky

Grand Canyon Star Party, June 1-8

The 34th annual Grand Canyon Star Party, running from June 1-8, will feature dozens of telescopes for viewing planets, stars, nebulae, and distant galaxies.

The South and North Rims of Grand Canyon National Park are renowned for their dark skies, perfect for stargazing, as noted by the National Park Service.

During the day, solar telescopes will offer views of the sun, weather permitting.

South Rim Events:

  • Nightly slide show at 8 p.m. in the Visitor Center Theater (Note: In the park. Not Grand Canyon IMAX Theater)
  • Telescope viewing behind the Visitor Center
  • Green-laser Constellation Tours at 9, 9:30, and 10 p.m.
  • Bring warm clothing and a red flashlight for night viewing

North Rim Events:

  • Telescopes on the Grand Canyon Lodge terrace each evening
  • Daytime solar telescopes on the terrace
  • Check Visitor Center and bulletin boards for details

The 2024 Star Party is sponsored by the National Park Service, Grand Canyon Conservancy, the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association (South Rim), and the Saguaro Astronomy Club (North Rim).

In June 2019, Grand Canyon National Park was certified as an International Dark-Sky Park. The park recently achieved over 90% dark-sky compliance for its exterior lighting fixtures.