In the late 1970’s, and through the 1980’s, a group called “The San Francisco Sidewalk Astronomers” made annual pilgrimages to several Western National Parks. Spending several weeks at each Park, including the Grand Canyon, this group laid the conceptual footwork for a recurring Star Party. Some of their long-standing members may still be found in attendance!
In 1991, while celebrating their 1st Anniversary at the Grand Canyon, Dean and Vicki Kettleson made the first coordination with the National Park Service to make a Star Party an official event. An outreach event was planned and the first Grand Canyon Star Party became a reality.
2025 marked the 35th Anniversary of that event.
Although tens of thousands visit the South Rim every day, only a small fraction stay into the night to be treated to the spectacular views of the dark sky there. During the Star Party, visitors are encouraged to stay late into the evening and be treated to unprecedented access to the cosmos.
The event is primarily for public outreach, but after public event ends and most of crowds subside, astronomers are free to stay and enjoy private observing time late into the night. GCSP is truly a multi-faceted event.
Today astronomers volunteer their time and telescopes from clubs from Washington to California to Florida to Ontario, Canada and everywhere in between. The GCSP is supported by over a hundred astronomers annually and averages around 1,100 visitors nightly during its week-long run.
The South Rim Grand Canyon Star Party is co-sponsored by the National Park Service and the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association (TAAA).