Annual Southeast Utah AstroFest

2026 Southeast Utah AstroFest

The 2026 Southeast Utah AstroFest will be held June 4-7, 2026.

 

Find astronomy events and activities for all at AstroFest!

NPS/Kat Connelly

Southeast Utah AstroFest

Attention stargazers, astronomy enthusiasts, and celestial explorers! Get ready to embark on a journey through the cosmos at the Southeast Utah AstroFest, the ultimate astronomy festival happening under the vast skies of the national and state park sites in Southeast Utah.

Join park rangers for daytime and evening astronomy programs, telescope viewing, and family friendly activities at locations throughout the parks. Bring layers for comfort and a red light to protect your dark-adapted vision while walking safely on uneven surfaces.

This year, some nights have multiple events across the region. Times and topics will be announced soon.

June 4, 2026

Moab Information Center
6-7 pm, Shedding Light on the Dark, a talk by Ranger Kale Wernsing
Kick off the fifth annual Southeast Utah AstroFest by joining Dark Sky Ranger Kale Wernsing for an exploration of why darkness matters to everyone and everything, from people to plants. With a focus on both academic research and industry implications, Ranger Kale will explore the role the public lands have played in the push for dark sky preservation, and how the Southeast Utah Group is particularly involved in this effort.

Utahraptor State Park
CCC Historic Site

• 9:30 pm Dark Sky Program
• 10:00-11:30 pm Telescope Viewing and Constellation Tours

June 5, 2026

Island in the Sky District, Canyonlands National Park
Grand View Point

• 9:30-10:00 pm Dark Sky Program
• 10:00-11:30 pm Telescope Viewing, Constellation Tours

Green River Overlook

• 9:30-10:00 pm Dark Sky Program
• 10:00-11:30 pm Telescope Viewing, Constellation Tours

Needles District, Canyonlands National Park
The Needles Visitor Center

• 9:30 pm Dark Sky Program
• 10:00-11:30 pm Telescope Viewing, Constellation Tours

June 6, 2026

Dead Horse Point State Park
Visitor Center Area

• 5:00 pm Indoor arts & crafts activity. Learn about astronomy in a family-fun, hands-on arts & crafts activity
• 7:00 pm Solar System Walk: Easy 1 mile hike. Experience the vast expanse of our solar system condensed into a 1-mile hike, and learn about our celestial neighborhood along the way! Bring hiking shoes and water.
• 9:30 pm Dark Sky Program
• 10:00-11:30 pm Telescope Viewing and Constellation Tours

Natural Bridges National Monument
Visitor Center Area

• 3:30 and 9:30 pm "Poetry and Darkness" with visiting poet Lauren Camp
• 8:45 pm Astronomy Program

June 7, 2026

Arches National Park
Visitor Center

• 8:00-9:00 pm Program: The Navajo Cosmos with Ravis Henry. An introduction to the Navajo cultural worldview and constellations. Enjoy an evening of cultural immersion and storytelling under the evening twilight and the glittering crystals of the night sky.

Panorama Point

• 9:30-10:00 pm Dark Sky Program, Telescope Viewing, Constellation Tours
• 10:00-11:30 pm Telescope Viewing, Constellation Tours

The Windows Section

• 9:30-10:00 pm Dark Sky Program
• 10:00-11:30 pm Telescope Viewing, Constellation Tours

Delicate Arch Viewpoint

• 9:30-10:00 pm Dark Sky Program
• 10:00-11:30 pm Telescope Viewing, Constellation Tours

Hovenweep National Monument
Visitor Center Patio

• 8:30-9:30 pm Ranger program
• 9:30-11:00 pm Two telescope stations on the paved path; one for cultural star stories and one for a sky tour

 

A ranger prepares a telescope at dusk for night sky viewing.

NPS/Veronica Verdin

Plan Ahead, Be Prepared

Watch the weather. Telescope viewing may be canceled or affected by clouds or storms. Programs and telescope viewing may be canceled in the event of lightning.

Arrive early. Parking may fill at program locations. We recommend arriving before 9 pm to secure a parking spot.

Be prepared. Please bring a red flashlight, sturdy shoes, reflective or high visibility clothing, and warm layers.

Attending all events is free with park admission.

Pets are discouraged. Please find suitable care for furry friends, as pets are not allowed at the program locations and leaving pets inside vehicles for the duration of the event is not recommended.

Campgrounds at both the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands and Arches may fill early. Have a backup location in mind if you plan to camp.