Beyond Las Vegas--stars over Nevada's Great Basin National Park

Photo Credit: NPS Night Sky Team

When Nevada and stars are mentioned in the same sentence, Las Vegas automatically comes to mind. Not this time. These stars will take center stage in Nevada, on June 27, 2009, not in Las Vegas, but about 286 miles away. Here you will find some of the darkest skies left in the United States, where the Milky Way is visible to the naked eye.

Great Basin National Park and the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) are hosting a star party, or what NPCA calls a stargazing event, on Saturday at 8 p.m. Slated to be on hand to help visitors view and learn about the dark skies of the Great Basin, are astronomers from the Las Vegas Astronomical Society, Clark Planetarium, Fleishmann Planetarium, Tahoe Star Tours, International Dark Sky Association, and several others.

The NPCA says, "Free campsites will be available in the park at Grey Cliffs Group Campground for the first 40 people to register with NPCA’s Kristen Leonard (kleonard@npca.org). Additional campsites are available for a fee in the park on a first-come, first-served basis; alternative lodging can be found in nearby Baker and Ely, Nevada."

A couple of tips from Clark Planetarium: "Dress warmly - it can get chilly at night. The Sun sets around 9 p.m., and observing begins as the skies darken. Personal binoculars are encouraged - there's lots of interesting things to see even at low power."

Be sure to spend some time exploring Great Basin National Park. The NPS has some suggestions for things to do while visiting the park for a short visit, one day or longer.

Learn more about stargazing year round at Great Basin National Park

Find out about Lightscape, National Park Service (NPS) Night Sky Team and what the NPS is doing to protect the night skies in our national parks

Maps and Directions

Camping and Services

Weather & Current Conditions

Important information about pets in the park

More about planning your visit

Great Basin Business & Tourism Council

White Pine County Chamber of Commerce

You might also enjoy:

Finding Dark Sky Astronomy Sites in the Southwestern U.S.

For more info about the stargazing event: Call NPCA’s Lynn Davis at 702.318.6524 or Great Basin National Park at 775.234.7331.