By Erich Karkoschka
Viewing Location: Kannally Ranch House
Information: Great dark skies just north of Tucson at Oracle State Park. Star Party open to the Public. Admission cost for entrance into Oracle State Park may apply. Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association will have several telescopes for astronomical viewing. We will observe Planets, Nebulae, Galaxies, Star Clusters and lots more. Great opportunity to look through a wide variety of telescopes. Weather dependent.
For real-time updates, follow this event on the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association Facebook Events Page (https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/). There is generally a talk and other events also taking place. Check the Oracle State Park website for additional information. Check TAAA Facebook Page or here for any updates as we get closer.
Star Party – Saguaro National Park – East
Tucson, AZ
Great dark skies on the East side of Tucson at Saguaro National Park – East.
Star Party is open to the Public. Event is free but NPS admission fees apply.
The Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association will have several telescopes for astronomical viewing. We will observe Planets, Nebulae, Galaxies, Star Clusters and lots more. Great opportunity to look through a variety of telescopes.
Weather dependent. For real-time updates, follow this event on the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association Facebook Events Page: (https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/).
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. All amateur astronomers (must register using below information to attend) and the interested public of all ages are invited (no registration required)! Bring your telescope and enjoy the camaraderie. But you don’t have to have a telescope to come and enjoy the beautiful Arizona night skies. You DO need to reserve a room or campsite and make your travel arrangements early. See Accommodation Information for details. 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!
Stay tuned here for updates and information on the 2023 Grand Canyon Star Party, scheduled for June 1 – 8, 2024. PLEASE CHECK HERE as we get closer for any GCSP planning updates. The dates for each phase will be updated as we get closer. Registration will be open 3-4 months prior to the event.
Volunteer Registration form and the Campground Reservation Application links are accessible below under Volunteer Registration Information. Documents required by the National Park Service (NPS) to be signed and brought to the event are available below and will be emailed to participants approximately 1 month prior.
For any inquires about the status or general information not listed here, please email the team at: gcsp[at]tucsonastronomy.org. The GCSP Registrar Email address will be added under Registration Information below.
If you are an astronomer volunteering to support this event, please follow the registration instructions below. If you are a visitor to the Grand Canyon National Park at the time of the GCSP just come on out and enjoy the wonderful nights with us under the high desert skies. Again, no registration is necessary for visitors, but astronomer participants will need to register in order to receive further instructions and entry information.
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 TAAA member Dean Ketelsen at the 2011 event and a GCSP 2022 Timelapse from Bob Rose.
FOR MORE VOLUNTEER INFORMATION – CLICK HERE
TUCSON ASTRONOMY FESTIVAL
Each year on a Saturday in March or April, the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association hosts a family fun event during national Astronomy Day. It is held at Brandi Fenton Memorial Park (3482 E River Rd @ Ramada 1)
3 – 9 pm
Interactive Astronomy Activities include:
Solar and Nighttime Observing
Door prizes to include a Grand Youth Prize of a Small Telescope
Bring your own telescope for help using (recommend arriving late afternoon during daylight)
FREE FAMILY FUN EVENT
The 2025 event. Saturday March 22, 2024.
To get any updates as we get closer, follow our Facebook Page event at: TAAA Facebook Tucson Astronomy Festival Event
TAAA invites you to an evening of star gazing at Saguaro National Park – West
Located on the far West side of town on the other side of the Tucson mountains, this location has very dark skies from horizon to horizon.
Event is put on by Saguaro NP and the IDA (International Dark-Sky Association) to promote International Dark Sky Week.
An introductory talk will be given at 7pm.
The TAAA will have several Telescopes set up to view Stars, Nebula’s, Galaxies, Planets and more starting at 7:30pm!
The event is free and open to the public, but NPS admission fees may apply.
WEATHER DEPENDENT. Follow the event here for any weather updates or changes.
Evening Under the Stars Observing at the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association (TAAA) Chiricahua Astronomy Complex. Want to stargaze from a dark site where the band of the Milky Way is clearly visible across the sky? You see so many stars it is hard to pick out the constellations. Twice per year, we open our TAAA Chiricahua Astronomy Complex (Turkey Creek area near Chiricahua National Monument) to the public for an observing session. You can observe through a telescope with a 40″ mirror and see galaxies over 100 million light years away. We will have several large telescopes to observe with.
Our Fall “Evening Under the Stars” will be Saturday October 7th 2023. The gate will be open at 6:00 pm with activities starting 7:00 pm. Observing will be from 7:00-9:00 pm. Come join us for an exciting evening of astronomical observing. The site is about 90 minutes SE of Tucson near the Chiricahua National Monument. If you have friends/family that live in that area, let them know. The event is weather dependent. Reservations are required. Please email euts[at]tucsonastronomy.org for reservations and directions. Please include number of people & vehicles in your group, and email address.
Evening Under the Stars Observing at the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association (TAAA) Chiricahua Astronomy Complex. Want to stargaze from a dark site where the band of the Milky Way is clearly visible across the sky? You see so many stars it is hard to pick out the constellations. Twice per year, we open our TAAA Chiricahua Astronomy Complex (Turkey Creek area near Chiricahua National Monument) to the public for an observing session. You can observe through a telescope with a 40″ mirror and see galaxies over 100 million light years away. We will have several large telescopes to observe with.
Our Spring “Evening Under the Stars” will be Saturday April 8th 2023. The gate will be open at 7:00 pm with activities starting 7:30 pm. Observing will be from 7:30-9:30 pm. Come join us for an exciting evening of astronomical observing. The site is about 90 minutes SE of Tucson near the Chiricahua National Monument. If you have friends/family that live in that area, let them know. The event is weather dependent. Reservations are required. Please email John Kalas at jckalas[at]cox.net for reservations and directions. Please include number of people & vehicles in your group.
