The 35th annual Grand Canyon Star Party is set to take place from Saturday, June 21, through Saturday, June 28, 2025, offering a week-long celebration of astronomy on both the South and North Rims of Grand Canyon National Park.
Renowned for its pristine night skies, the Grand Canyon provides an ideal setting for stargazing, serving as a natural refuge from light pollution. The event is organized by the National Park Service in collaboration with the Grand Canyon Conservancy, the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association on the South Rim, and the Saguaro Astronomy Club of Phoenix on the North Rim.
Throughout the event, amateur astronomers from around the world will volunteer their time, telescopes, and expertise to enhance the experience for park visitors. Dozens of telescopes will be available each night, offering breathtaking views of celestial bodies such as planets, star clusters, nebulae, double stars, and distant galaxies. During daylight hours, solar telescopes will provide safe viewing of the sun.
On the South Rim, nightly programs will begin with a special guest speaker at 8 p.m. at the Canyon Visitor Center Plaza. A complete list of speakers is available on the Grand Canyon Star Party website. Following the presentations, free telescope viewing will take place behind the Visitor Center. Green-laser constellation tours are scheduled nightly at 9 p.m., 9:30 p.m., and 10 p.m.
Visitors to the South Rim are encouraged to park in Lots 1 through 4 or take the free Village Route shuttle bus, which departs the Visitor Center for the last time at 9:30 p.m. Seating for speaker presentations is limited and early arrival is recommended. Telescope viewing begins after 9 p.m. and continues late into the night. Guests are advised to bring a flashlight for navigating to the viewing area; however, white lights are prohibited in the Telescope Lot. Red flashlights—easily made by covering any flashlight with red cellophane—are preferred to preserve night vision.
On the North Rim, telescopes will be stationed on the terrace of the Grand Canyon Lodge each evening, where astronomers will conduct constellation tours using green lasers. Solar telescopes will also be available during the day both on the terrace and at other locations throughout the area. Additional program details can be found at the Visitor Center and on park bulletin boards.
Attendees on both rims are advised to dress in warm layers, as temperatures can drop significantly at night, even during the summer months. On the South Rim, the National Park Service recommends using the shuttle bus system to move between attractions, as parking can be limited.
The Grand Canyon Star Party continues to be a cherished opportunity for visitors to experience the wonders of the universe in one of the nation’s most iconic and unspoiled dark-sky environments.
