It’s no secret to Nevadans that the Silver State is home to one of the darkest skies in the country. The proof is there every time we go out and look at the night sky. Nevada is a big state and the majority of our communities are small, which means they boast an extremely small footprint when it comes to light pollution. Less light pollution means darker skies. Darker skies means brighter stars and planets to gaze at! We’re extremely lucky when it comes to star gazing and we know it. In fact, there’s even an astronomy festival taking place very soon that you’ll definitely want to attend. This is a true “only in Nevada” experience that you don’t want to miss out on.
Just a couple years ago, our very own Great Basin National Park was listed as an "International Dark Sky Park" by the International Dark Sky Association. This means that one of the very last "true dark skies" is located right here in the Silver State, and it makes for excellent stargazing.
If you haven't gotten a chance to view Great Basin's night sky, then you'll definitely want to mark your calendars for the annual Astronomy Festival that takes place there. This year, the festival will be held September 6 through September 8, providing a full weekend of dazzling fun.
Great Basin is home to some of the best air quality in the nation, making it the perfect landscape for an Astronomy Festival. The super dark skies at nighttime create ideal conditions for viewing stars, planets, and everything in between.
This year's Astronomy Festival is sure to be a ton of fun for the entire family. Spend the day looking through a solar-safe telescope and see the Sun with your own eyes. Then spend all night gazing through different telescopes to get an up-close look at some of our night sky's greatest delights.
There will be over 30 telescopes available, some of which are over 20-feet tall. You will be assisted by astronomical volunteers and park rangers who will turn your attention towards specific planets, stars, nebulae, and galaxies.
Don't worry if you've never looked through a telescope before, or even if you don't know anything about the night sky. There will be an Astronomy 101 presentation which will introduce you to the night sky's many mysteries and give you a solid foundation for stargazing.
There will also be a variety of fun activities to partake in for both young and old. For instance, kids can earn their very own "Deep Space Certificate" from the Dark Rangers and adults can attend a night sky photography workshop. There's bound to be something for everyone.
You'll spend the entire weekend soaking up the beautiful landscape of our night sky! This Astronomy Festival is bound to be a blast, so start planning your trip to Great Basin soon. For more information about the festival, you can visit the park website here.
What do you think? Will you attend this amazing astronomy festival? What an awesome place to gaze at the stars! Great Basin is considered one of the darkest parks, but did you know Nevada is also home to one of the darkest towns in the country? Read all about it here!
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