Stellar Vista Observatory hosts monthly star parties that are free and open to the public. Our goal is to create opportunities for families, friends, and individuals to learn together and marvel at the beauty of the night sky. Our passionate volunteer astronomers are on hand to guide you through a fascinating journey of discovery.
We always have telescopes and binoculars set up to help you get great views of the cosmos. If you own a telescope, feel free to arrive early and set it up. If you’d like to learn how to use your telescope more effectively, just let us know, and we will gladly assist you!
Not sure what to bring to the star party? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions page.
Upcoming Star Parties
Date | Description | Location | Start Time* | Backup Date |
November 1, 2024 | Come see the Perseus double star clusters, Saturn, and the Andromeda Galaxy! | Jackson Flat Reservoir | 7:15pm | |
December 4, 2024 | Close arrangement of the moon (14% illuminated), Venus, the M75 Globular Cluster, and Pluto. | Jackson Flat Reservoir | 6:30pm | |
December 21, 2024 | Celebrate the Winter Solstice with SVO – the longest night of the year! We’ll see Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Orion, the Pleiades, and more. | Jackson Flat Reservoir | 6:30pm |
** Events at the State Park carry a fee of $5/vehicle
If you would like to schedule a Night Sky Experience on a date other than our public star parties, click here to reserve a private Night Sky Experience.
Past Events
Click below to expand and view past events
2024 Events
Date | Description | Location | Start Time* | Backup Date |
January 27, 2024 | 6% Crescent Moon | Jackson Flat Reservoir | 6:30pm | |
February 12, 2024 | Star Party with Local Business | Kanab | 6:45pm | |
February 17, 2024 | Balloons & Tunes – Glow on Center Street | Center Street, Kanab | 7:00pm | |
February 20, 2024 | STEM Fest | Kanab Center | 9:00am | |
February 21, 2024 | STEM Fest | Kanab Center | 9:00am | |
February 23, 2024 | Star Party with local Girl Scout Troop | Kanab | 6:30pm | |
March 7, 2024 | Celebrating Influential Women in Astronomy! | Kanab City Library | 7:00pm | |
March 22, 2024 | Beehive cluster in Cancer, Orion Nebula, Andromeda Galaxy | Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park | 8:30pm | |
April 3, 2024 | International Dark Sky Week | Pipe Spring National Monument | 7:00pm | |
April 8, 2024 | Solar Eclipse | Kanab City Library | 11:00am | |
April 19, 2024 | Moonlight Promenade | Jackson Flat Reservoir | 8:30pm | |
April 20, 2024 | Public Solar Observation | Kanab City Library | 12:00pm | |
April 23, 2024 | Solar Science Experience – Forest School | Heart Water Farm | 11:00am | |
April 24, 2024 | Solar Science Experience – Kanab Homeschool Group | Jacob Hamblin Park | 10:30am | |
April 26, 2024 | Solar Science Experience | Kanab City Library | 10:00am | |
May 1, 2024 | Solar Science Experience – Local Children’s Activity Group | Kanab | 3:15pm | |
May 2, 2024 | Solar Science Experience – Local Children’s Activity Group | Kanab | 3:30pm | |
May 3, 2024 | Earth Day Festival | Jacob Hamblin Park | 3:00pm | |
May 3, 2024 | Coral Pink Sand Dunes Spring Star Party | Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park | 8:30pm | May 4, 2024 |
May 4, 2024 | Solar Science Experience | Kanab City Library | 10:00am | |
May 8, 2024 | Solar Science Experience – Local church youth group | Kanab | 6:30pm | |
May 10, 2024 | Amazing Earthfest | Kanab City Library | 9:00pm | |
May 11, 2024 | Amazing Earthfest | Jackson Flat Reservoir | 9:00pm | |
May 16, 2024 | Solar Science Experience – Local Children’s Activity Group | Kanab | 3:15pm | |
June 12, 2024 | Solar Science Experience – 4H Boys Tech Camp | Maker Space | 2:30pm | |
June 12, 2024 | Solar Science Experience – Local church youth group | Kanab | 6:30pm | |
June 15, 2024 | Solar Science Experience | Kanab City Library | 10:00am | |
June 20, 2024 | Solstice Skate | Jackson Flat Reservoir | 9:30pm | |
June 21, 2024 | Solar Science Experience – Rascal Rodeo | Kaneplex Rodeo Grounds | 10:00am | |
June 21, 2024 | Full Moon Summer Solstice | Jackson Flat Reservoir | 9:00pm | |
June 22, 2024 | Solar Science Experience | Kanab City Library | 11:00am | |
June 29, 2024 | For early risers! Planetary alignment | Jackson Flat Reservoir | 4:30am | |
July 20, 2024 | Full Moon and Venus | Jackson Flat Reservoir | 8:30pm | |
August 5, 2024 | For early risers! Mars, Jupiter, and Aldebaran form a triangle in the early morning sky | Jackson Flat Reservoir | 8:30pm | |
August 9, 2024 | Perseids Meteor Shower, Moon Observation | Jackson Flat Reservoir | 8:30pm | |
August 12, 2024 | Perseids Meteor Shower | Nomad Cafe | 9:15pm | |
September 13, 2024 | International Observe the Moon Night! | Kanab City Library | 7:00pm | |
September 21, 2024 | The dazzling constellations of Scorpius and Sagittarius cradling the Butterfly and Ptolemy Clusters are the “stars” of the late summer sky while Saturn makes its return! | Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park | 8:00pm | September 21, 2024 |
September 27, 2024 | “Desert Starlight in Kanab” – a special fee-based event. Catered Supper, followed by an Astrophotography Workshop and Stargazing! Attendance is limited to 25 persons. tickets at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/desert-starlight-in-kanab-tickets-928602704687 | Kanab | 6:00pm to 10:30pm | |
October 2, 2024 | Enjoy beautifully dark skies and see the Andromeda galaxy, Saturn, the Hercules globular cluster, and many more | Jacob Lake Campground Amphitheater | 8:00pm MDT (7:00pm AZ Time) | |
October 4, 2024 | Join us at Grand Circle Trailfest and see Saturn’s rings, star clusters, and double stars | Jacob Hamblin Park in Kanab | 8:00pm | |
October 14, 2024 | Catch a Comet! SVO hosts a special event to view the bright Comet A3 Tsuchinshan in the western sky! | Jackson Flat Reservoir | 7:45pm | |
October 25, 2024 | Behold the Andromeda Galaxy, Saturn, and the Perseus Star Clusters from a lovely dark location! | Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park | 7:30pm | October 26, 2024 |
2023 Events
Date | Description | Location | Start Time* | Backup Date |
January 23, 2023 | Appulse of Venus and Saturn with Crescent Moon | Jackson Flat Reservoir | 7:00pm | |
February 1, 2023 | Star Party for local Boy Scout troop | Peekaboo Trailhead | 8:00pm | |
February 10, 2023 | Comet ZTF Visits Mars | Sand Caves Parking | 7:00pm | |
April 14, 2023 | Indigenous Perspectives and Leave No Trace W/GSEP | Ponderosa Grove Campground | 7:00pm | |
May 14, 2023 | Mother’s Day Stars, Venus, and Mars | Jackson Flat Reservoir | 9:00pm | |
May 18, 2023 | Light Pollution and the Stars Powerpoint Presentation by Paul Ricketts, Univ. of Utah (SPO) followed by a Star Party with Amazing Earthfest | Nomad Cafe | 9:00pm | |
May 19, 2023 | Endangered Species Star Party – Outdoor Lighting Demo & Star Party in collaboration with IDA, NWF, & Amazing Earthfest | Zion View Star Field | 9:00pm | |
May 20, 2023 | Supper & Stars, Talk by UofU student on lava tubes on the Moon and Mars | Kanab | 5:00pm | |
June 16, 2023 | SVO participated in 2023 Kaibab Lodge Star Party with an astronomy talk by SVO’s Colin Littlefield on Black Holes | N Kaibab NF | 7:30pm | |
June 17, 2023 | SVO participated in 2023 Kaibab Lodge Star Party with an astronomy talk by SVO’s Colin Littlefield on Variable Stars | N Kaibab NF | 7:30pm | |
June 21, 2023 | 1st Day Summer Star Party, Appulse of Venus & 13% Moon, Mars near | Jackson Flat Reservoir | 9:30pm | |
July 21, 2023 | The Planets Line Up, Mercury, Venus, Mars, and a 15% Moon | Jackson Flat Reservoir | 9:30pm | |
August 12, 2023 | Deep Sky Watching: The Milky Way with Perseid Meteors | Jackson Flat Reservoir | 9:15pm | |
September 9, 2023 | Grandparents Night with our Galaxy & the Return of Saturn, new moon | Kanab City Library | 8:00pm | |
September 15, 2023 | Southwest Astronomy Festival | Zion View Star Field | 8:00pm | |
October 4, 2023 | Star Party for local church youth group | Kanab Elementary School | 7:00pm | |
October 14, 2023 | Annular Solar Eclipse (Annularity 10:28-10:31) | Kanab Center | 9:00am | |
October 14, 2023 | Night of Annular Solar Eclipse Saturn & the Milky Way, Draconids | Jackson Flat Reservoir | 8:30pm | |
October 30, 2023 | Kanab Elementary 2nd Grade Moon Party | Kanab Elementary School | 7:30pm | |
November 1, 2023 | Star Party with local business | Jackson Flat Reservoir | 7:00pm | |
November 7, 2023 | Star Party for local church youth group | Jackson Flat Reservoir | 7:00pm | |
November 20, 2023 | Appulse of Saturn & 57% Moon (2 deg. 29 min.) Leonids & Geminids | Jackson Flat Reservoir | 7:00pm | |
December 1, 2023 | Polar Express Star Party | Levi Stewart Memorial Park | 5:00pm | |
December 13, 2023 | Geminid Meteor Peak, 1% moon, Saturn & Jupiter visible, Uranus & Neptune | Jackson Flat Reservoir | 7:00pm | |
December 14, 2023 | Local Stargazing at the Reservoir | Jackson Flat Reservoir | 7:00pm |