Skye and Stars Stargazing Event – An Astronomically Good Time

Celebrating International Astronomy Day, Skye Canyon, in tandem with the Las Vegas Astronomical Society, presents their sixth annual ‘Skye and Stars’ stargazing event this weekend!  

Bring the family out Saturday, May 15th, to Skye Canyon Park from 6 pm to 10 pm for a sunset picnic, music, lawn games, and food. Enjoy delicious bites and sips from local food trucks Maize St. and Alpha Dawg. Drinks will be available for purchase from Local 808.

In addition, Skye Canyon encourages guests to bring blankets or lawn chairs so they’re comfortable during the event.

This family-friendly event is free to the public, with donations for LVAS accepted during the event. 

Las Vegas Astronomical Society is a nonprofit organization of amateur astronomers formed to promote astronomy in Southern Nevada. Their purpose involves educating and sharing their passion with those interested in astronomy. They hold regular meetings, observation gatherings; offer educational opportunities and services to schools and youth science programs, service agencies, and other organizations.

For more information about LVAS, please visit www.LVAstronomy.com.

Guided Stargazing Tour

Constellation viewing begins after dark, from 8 pm to 10 pm. During that time, LVAS will set up telescopes for a guided stargazing expedition led by LVAS president Keith Caceres and his team.

“Easy access to dark desert skies makes Southern Nevada a unique place for stargazing,” said Caceres. “We can’t wait to return to Skye Canyon to share not only our insight and knowledge but also our enthusiasm and passion for astronomy.”  

According to Skye Canyon’s press release for the event, LVAS volunteers will position high-power telescopes throughout the park aimed at specific and noteworthy stars and constellations. They will use a powerful, high-tech laser pointer to further showcase and point out interesting elements in the night sky. Look for astrophotography and video cameras capturing celestial events at the event as well.

Telescopes will be strategically arranged throughout the park for people to view the sky through. According to Caceres, a fresh piece of plastic wrap will be replaced between attendees so their eye doesn’t contact the eyepiece. This because cleaning an eyepiece after each viewing would wear down the lens coatings.

Some highlights of the sky tour include the moon, the planet Venus, and prominent constellations and stars visible in the sky that night. For example, see the constellations Orion, Ursa Major (The Big Bear, containing The Big Dipper), Ursa Minor (The Little Bear, containing The North Star and Little Dipper.)

Giveaway and Raffle

Commemorative Pin

As part of the ‘THRIVE @ Skye’ event series, participants receive a “Skye & Stars 2021” collectible pin, courtesy of Skye Canyon. 

Subsequently, these pins change from year to year. Start your collection with this year’s pin and collect new pins at future events. 

Telescope Raffle

Enter to win your own telescope by purchasing a $5 raffle ticket at the event. One winner will receive one of the best telescopes on the market – an AWB OneSkye Telescope. This telescope is perfect for both astronomy lovers and those new to learning astronomy. 

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Health & Safety

In order to protect everyone’s health and safety, the event capacity is limited to 500 people in the park at any time. The entrance line will begin outside the park gate with 6-foot spacings to keep people socially distanced. Once inside the event, continue socially distancing from other guests to protect yourself and others.  

Furthermore, guests must pass a temperature check before entering the event area, and emails will be collected for contact tracing. Attendees must also wear a mask or face covering at all times. No outside food or drinks are allowed in the event. That is to say, guests who want to picnic may purchase food from the event’s food trucks and beverage partners.

For those interested in telescope viewing, disposable lens covers will be used on the telescopes in between attendees. In addition, a sanitization crew will also be present to disinfect surfaces regularly, and hand sanitizer stations will be available throughout the park. 

If you’re sick with COVID-19, have symptoms consistent with COVID-19, or have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19, it is important to stay home and away from other people until it is safe to be around others.

Returning to an In-Person Event

Located on the Northwest edge of town, Skye Canyon Park offers an escape from the light pollution normally blocking out the sky; this makes it a perfect spot for stargazing without driving too far from Las Vegas.

As a result, Skye Canyon holds the Skye & Stars event annually to celebrate astronomy and bring the community together. Skye Canyon residents eagerly anticipate the event. 

After holding the event virtually last year, Angela Rock, President of Olympia Management Services/The Skye Canyon Community Association, shared her excitement about bringing it back in person. 

“It’s consistently been among the most popular events for residents and their families, and we can’t wait to team up with the Las Vegas Astronomical Society again to celebrate the stars and galaxies this year.”  

Skye Canyon is a 1,000-acre master-planned community in Northwest Las Vegas. It is located on US Highway 95 at Skye Canyon Park Drive.

Learn more about Skye Canyon at https://skyecanyon.com/skye-life/.

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*Edited to correct statement about telescopes being cleaned after each use; a new piece of plastic will be placed between each use instead.*