The Grand Canyon Star Party (GCSP) is held on the South Rim in northern Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Park in June every year around the time of the new moon. Visitors to the Park and to the Star Party are afforded the unique opportunity to view the beauty of a pristine night sky through a wide variety of telescopes, binoculars and astrophotography equipment brought to the event by volunteer astronomers from across North America.
The Star Party field (large parking lot behind the main Visitor Center) has around 80 telescopes each night and visitors may wander the viewing field looking at, and through, some of the best telescopic equipment available to the amateur world. The skies at the Grand Canyon are beyond compare. The Milky Way will be spread out like a curtain of light and Planets, Stars, Galaxies and Nebulae will be readily visible. The Grand Canyon Star Party is co-sponsored by the National Park Service and the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association.
GCSP 2027
The 2027 Grand Canyon Star Party is scheduled for May 29 – June 5, 2027.
Astronomer Volunteer Registration is currently closed. Registration will open early March 2027.
Information about the Star Party from the National Park Service here
All VOLUNTEER AMATEUR ASTRONOMERS must register using the information below to attend. For the GENERAL PUBLIC (non-astronomy volunteers), only the entry fee to Grand Canyon National Park is required to attend and enjoy the event – no registration is required! A visit to the breathtaking Grand Canyon is an unforgettable and fabulous vacation for families, singles, and seniors. Add a week of dark Arizona skies, lots of friends, fun, and astronomy education, and you have a recipe for perfection!
Volunteer Registration Information
For more information for the South Rim star party please contact:
GCSP Team
Coordinator: Bernie Sanden
Registrar: Gary Wells
Campground Coordinator: Mae Smith
Laser Constellation Tour Coordinator: Chuck Schroll
Social Events Coordinator: Marilyn Unruh
Lead Ranger: Rader Lane
Mail:
GCSP Registrar
Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association
P.O. Box 41254
Tucson, AZ 85717
Registrar E-mail: gcsp-registrar[at]tucsonastronomy.org
General Information or to contact the team: gcsp[at]tucsonastronomy.org
Visit our Frequently Asked Questions for more information. Also visit the excellent National Park Services star party site. And here is a time lapse video taken by past TAAA member Dean Ketelsen at the 2011 event and a GCSP 2022 Timelapse from Bob Rose.
GCSP Future Dates
- May 29-June 5, 2027
- June 17-24, 2028
- June 2-9, 2029
- June 22-29, 2030
- June 14-21, 2031
- June 5-12, 2032
- June 18-25, 2033
- June 10-17, 2034
- June 2-9, 2035
GCSP History
Videos and photos from previous GCSP’s
GCSP 2022 Timelapse (Bob Rose)
Pictures from Bob Rose and Jim Knoll of a GCSP event.
Crowd at evening talk
