Grand Canyon Star Party 2024

The Grand Canyon Star Party spreads onto both rims gathering dozens of astronomers who bring their telescopes and set them up for the public sky viewing. The overall picture reminds of an actual party, as the telescopes are illuminated with red lights beyond, while there's the stunning star-studded sky above.

You'll find ten telescopes set up on the terrace of the North Rim's Lodge. The South Rim has 35 to 50 telescopes set up each night behind the Grand Canyon Visitor Centre. If you don't have a car, there's a Village Route shuttle bus at your disposal. Keep in mind that the last bus leaves at 11 pm sharp.

Sky viewing generally begins right after sunset, but the most interesting part starts when it gets completely dark after 9 pm. Watch for the rings of Saturn, the Great Red Spot of Jupiter, globular clusters and open clusters, nebulae and far-away galaxies, or have a close-up look at the Moon, or at the Sun and Venus during the daytime. Besides space viewing, the festive program also features a variety of astronomy-related slide-shows and Constellation Tours. Just check the schedule not to miss anything.

Grand Canyon Star Party takes place for eight nights in June—the clearest month of the year. However, the dates vary in order to avoid too much Moonlight.

You don't have to pay extra for the party besides the park entrance fee. No reservations are necessary, except for accommodations. Dress warmly as the temperature may drop dramatically after the sunset. Don't bring a regular flashlight to the telescope area, as only red lights are allowed there.