EXPLORE THE MILKY WAY

Book a Private Star Party

Fascinating. Educational. Humbling.

Learn more about the galaxy we call home. During the warmer months of May through September, you can experience Pagosa’s Bortle class 3 dark sky! Your Star Party begins at twilight with visible planets and the brightest stars, followed by a constellation tour once the stars come out. Next, we observe far away Deep Sky Objects through a telescope – See beautiful Star Clusters, Nebulae, and even other Galaxies. Please read about Star Party Etiquette.

Why choose a private star party?

Avoid the crowds
See more objects through the telescope
Gaze as long as you like through the eyepiece (we’ve heard that the average is 3 seconds at public events!)
Program is tailored to your experience level
Interactive learning
Request to view any visible object in the night sky

Donations for Private Star Parties provide most of our funding. Your support helps us continue hosting our free, educational public events and keeps our website up and running. We appreciate your support!

Where do we meet?

Once you book your Private Star Party date, we will email you details about your Star Guide, their contact information, and where to meet. Star Parties are held in public places around Pagosa Springs where the skies are dark and we have an open view of the horizon in all directions. If you’d like us to come to you, just mention that when booking.

What happens if it is cloudy?

We try not to book another Star Party on either side of your date. This allows us to shift by a day in case of inclement weather. You can let us know when booking if your date is not flexible. We will contact you a few days prior to your Star Party with a reminder email. If the weather forecast is unfavorable, we will discuss canceling/rescheduling at that time.

What do I bring?

You don’t need to bring anything except clothing layers. It gets chilly after dark in the mountains, even in Summer. Optionally, you can bring drinking water, binoculars, folding chairs, and flashlight/headlamp with a red light. Some people like to use a sky map app, like Stellarium, on their mobile devices to assist in learning and navigating the night sky.

Are the Star Parties kid/dog friendly?

Our Star Parties are geared toward a mature audience as an educational experience. The program involves many astronomical terms and our telescopes are a bit difficult to use for little ones. We recommend everyone in your party be 13 years of age or older.
Although we love dogs, they do not mix well with telescopes under the dark of night. Please leave doggo at home.

Can I operate the telescope?

That is up to your Star Guide. Some of our telescopes are manual and are easy to learn. Others are computerized and must be operated by a trained guide. Just talk to your guide the night of the Star Party if you are interested in telescope operation!

Can I take pictures through the telescope.

At this time, our telescopes are not configured for astrophotography. Even using your phone on the eyepiece is prohibited due to risk of scratching the lens.

Can I book a Private Star Party for my event, like a wedding or graduation?

Absolutely! Guests will learn the visible constellations and be able to view Deep Sky Objects within them. If the moon or planets are visible, we will also view those! When the moon is full, the surface looks flat giving little definition of the cratered surface, so lesser moon phases are better. Moonless nights are best for viewing fainter objects.
Let us know the date of your event on the Contact Us page so we discuss the venue and what will be visible in the sky that night.

see open dates

Click the above button to show open dates for Private Star Parties our Events Calendar