Bryce Canyon National Park is one of the darkest places on Earth, making it the perfect spot to learn about and enjoy the splendor of the night sky. It is so far from the light pollution that you can see the milky way with your naked eye. Cool right?
Keep reading the post, if you are passionate about observing millions of stars. As I will share details about my breathtaking stargazing expedition. You are in for a real treat!
About Dark Ranger Telescope Tour
During my recent visit to the Bryce Canyon National Park, I stumbled upon Dark Ranger Telescope Tours and decided to book a tour with them. This family-owned business is dedicated to fostering science literacy and igniting a passion for space exploration and is merely 7 minutes from the park entrance.
Pro tip: Dark Ranger Telescope Tour offers public and private tours, which you can book on their official website.
Our Stargazing Experience
From the moment we arrived at the Dark Ranger Observatory, I knew we were in for a treat. They had red lights everywhere because it helps in maintaining night vision.
They provided us with lounge chairs, ensuring we were comfortable. Moreover, Bryce Canyon is a desert, and no matter how hot it is during the day, it does get quite cold at night. Therefore, they had plenty of extra blankets and jackets for those who weren’t dressed warmly. Here’s a short vlog of our stargazing experience.
Round 1 of stargazing
Our three knowledgeable tour guides and astronomers, Kincaid, McKenna, and Lukas, skillfully set up four massive telescopes, preparing us for a close encounter with the cosmos. Our stargazing journey began by admiring the brilliance of Venus, the fiery red glow of Mars, the captivating radiance of Vega (the fifth brightest star), the famous double star Mizar from the Big Dipper, and the Pole star. It was a delightful introduction to the celestial playground above us.
Hot drinks & presentation
As we marveled at the celestial bodies, the tour guides set up two tables with hot cocoa and apple cider, adding a comforting touch to the cold night. While we sipped our warm drinks, one of the guides delivered a fascinating and informative presentation on the birth, life, and death of stars. Several interesting questions came up throughout the presentation, and our guide did a fantastic job breaking down complex astronomy into easy-to-understand nuggets.
Round 2 of stargazing
Now it was time to put this newly acquired knowledge to the test as we stepped away from our seats for another round of stargazing. It was very dark by now, and our eyes had adapted to the darkness.
We were treated to a breathtaking sight—a colossal milky band stretched across the night sky. It was my first encounter with the magnificent Milky Way, truly a sight to remember!
The tour continued with interesting chats between the participants and the tour guides. We geeked out together, discussing everything from the incredible telescopes in the Dark Ranger’s collection (each with its name!) to the intricacies of celestial objects. Moreover, I was impressed by the guides’ efficiency in programming the telescopes to swiftly navigate from one object to another. They explained to me how this works. It is a bit like triangulation in GPS.
Some spectacular astronomical objects we saw
- Swan Nebula: A graceful nebula resembling a celestial swan. This was my favorite and the highlight of the night, besides seeing the Milky Way.
- Ring Nebula: A doughnut-shaped cloud of glowing gas showcasing the cycles of stellar life and death.
- Hercules Cluster: A dazzling congregation of stars, forming a tightly knit celestial family in the constellation Hercules.
- Sunflower Cluster: Radiant clusters of stars that illuminate the night sky, resembling blossoming flowers.
- Owl Cluster: An intriguing arrangement of stars, evoking the image of wise and watchful eyes in the cosmic expanse.
- Dumbbell Nebula: A unique and elongated nebula, resembling a cosmic dumbbell suspended in the vastness of space.
- Whirlpool Galaxy: A grand spiral galaxy, displaying a swirling beauty.
- Dark Eye Galaxy: An enigmatic galaxy with a mysterious dark center.
- Sagittarius Cluster: A cluster of stars located in the constellation Sagittarius.
Overall experience
All three tour guides were exceptionally knowledgeable and friendly. Although the tour starts promptly at the start time, it ends only when all guests have had their fill of stargazing and have left. McKenna mentioned to me that the longest a tour has lasted is 3 am!
If you are ever in Bryce Canyon National Park, don’t miss the opportunity to join a Dark Ranger Telescope Tour. Thanks to their passionate guides and amazing telescopes, you will leave with a newfound appreciation for the wonders of the universe. Keep watching this space or subscribe to our newsletter to get latest info about new travel guides and ideas.
