Come join us at the Smokey Jack Observatory for a free, open to the public, day of viewing the enormous star right above us every day, our Sun aka Sol!

The Sun will reach its maximum activity (Solar Maximum) sometime in 2024 or 2025. The views of the Sun with our solar telescopes should be particularly interesting in the near term, so please join us for Solar Sessions at Bluff Park! No reservations are required. Sessions begin at 11:00 AM and end at noon.

This special daytime experience utilizes special solar filters and solar telescopes to allow totally safe viewing of the Sun. Our sun is dynamic and may display solar flares, solar prominences and sunspots at any time, or sometimes nothing special at all!

No reservations are needed.

Depending on weather conditions, public events can be cancelled the day of the event. All cancellations will be made at least 2 hours before the event start time the day of the event and our voicemail greeting will be changed to announce the cancellation. In order to obtain cancellation details you can call our phone number, 719-398-1284. We will also try to update this event page and the Dark Skies of the Wet Mountain Valley Facebook page with cancellation details as well. However, the voicemail greeting is the primary source of up to date information.

As always, these events are free. However, as a non-profit, we rely exclusively on the generous contributions of our supporters. We do greatly appreciate your tax deductible donations!

Come join us at the Smokey Jack Observatory for a free, open to the public, day of viewing the enormous star right above us every day, our Sun aka Sol!

The Sun will reach its maximum activity (Solar Maximum) sometime in 2024 or 2025. The views of the Sun with our solar telescopes should be particularly interesting in the near term, so please join us for Solar Sessions at Bluff Park! No reservations are required. Sessions begin at 11:00 AM and end at noon.

This special daytime experience utilizes special solar filters and solar telescopes to allow totally safe viewing of the Sun. Our sun is dynamic and may display solar flares, solar prominences and sunspots at any time, or sometimes nothing special at all!

No reservations are needed.

Depending on weather conditions, public events can be cancelled the day of the event. All cancellations will be made at least 2 hours before the event start time the day of the event and our voicemail greeting will be changed to announce the cancellation. In order to obtain cancellation details you can call our phone number, 719-398-1284. We will also try to update this event page and the Dark Skies of the Wet Mountain Valley Facebook page with cancellation details as well. However, the voicemail greeting is the primary source of up to date information.

As always, these events are free. However, as a non-profit, we rely exclusively on the generous contributions of our supporters. We do greatly appreciate your tax deductible donations!

Join us in celebrating the arrival of the Summer constellations, bright and overhead. The Milky Way will also be visible, stretching across the sky from the southern to northern horizon, passing through Sagittarius and neighboring constellations in the southern part of the sky. Also, the Delta Aurigids meteor shower is expected to be active around this time, though it's not one of the more prominent meteor showers.

The constellations best seen for this Star Party are:

• Sagittarius: Still visible in the southern sky during the early part of the night, Sagittarius hosts the center of the Milky Way galaxy and its famous "Teapot" asterism.

• Capricornus: Adjacent to Sagittarius, Capricornus, represented as a sea-goat, will also be observable in the southern part of the sky.

• Aquila: Known for its association with the eagle in mythology, Aquila features the bright star Altair and will be visible in the summer sky.

Attendees will be able to observe our pristine night sky thru the lens of the Smokey Jack Observatory’s 14”, state of the art telescope. Additional telescopes will be setup around the Observatory for viewing and one of our trained Star Guides will be pointing out the brightest stars and constellations.

Free and open to the public. No reservations needed.

Depending on weather conditions, public events can be cancelled the day of the event. All cancellations will be made at least 2 hours before the event start time the day of the event and our voicemail greeting will be changed to announce the cancellation. In order to obtain cancellation details you can call our phone number, 719-398-1284. We will also try to update this event page and the Dark Skies of the Wet Mountain Valley Facebook page with cancellation details as well. However, the voicemail greeting is the primary source of up to date information.

As always, these events are free. However, as a non-profit, we rely exclusively on the generous contributions of our supporters. We do greatly appreciate your tax deductible donations!

Come join us at the Smokey Jack Observatory for a free, open to the public, day of viewing the enormous star right above us every day, our Sun aka Sol!

The Sun will reach its maximum activity (Solar Maximum) sometime in 2024 or 2025. The views of the Sun with our solar telescopes should be particularly interesting in the near term, so please join us for Solar Sessions at Bluff Park! No reservations are required. Sessions begin at 11:00 AM and end at noon.

This special daytime experience utilizes special solar filters and solar telescopes to allow totally safe viewing of the Sun. Our sun is dynamic and may display solar flares, solar prominences and sunspots at any time, or sometimes nothing special at all!

No reservations are needed.

Depending on weather conditions, public events can be cancelled the day of the event. All cancellations will be made at least 2 hours before the event start time the day of the event and our voicemail greeting will be changed to announce the cancellation. In order to obtain cancellation details you can call our phone number, 719-398-1284. We will also try to update this event page and the Dark Skies of the Wet Mountain Valley Facebook page with cancellation details as well. However, the voicemail greeting is the primary source of up to date information.

As always, these events are free. However, as a non-profit, we rely exclusively on the generous contributions of our supporters. We do greatly appreciate your tax deductible donations!

We regret to announce that this Stary Party has been cancelled. We greatly appreciate your interest and look forward to seeing you at a future event!

Join us for a new special way to view our pristine night skies!

We'll hook up a camera to our state of the art 14” telescope at the Smokey Jack Observatory and take live images to project on a 10 foot outdoor screen from the comfort of our newly built mini amphitheater. You will be able to see full color images with amazing detail of galaxies, star clusters, planetary nebulae, and globular clusters

Please note that there will not be any additional telescopes set up for visual use. And plan to dress warmly for probable cold/chilly weather.

This event is free and open to the public. No reservations needed.

Depending on weather conditions, public events can be cancelled the day of the event. All cancellations will be made at least 2 hours before the event start time the day of the event and our voicemail greeting will be changed to announce the cancellation. In order to obtain cancellation details you can call our phone number, 719-398-1284. We will also try to update this event page and the Dark Skies of the Wet Mountain Valley Facebook page with cancellation details as well. However, the voicemail greeting is the primary source of up to date information.

As always, these events are free. However, as a non-profit, we rely exclusively on the generous contributions of our supporters. We do greatly appreciate your tax deductible donations!

Come join us at the Smokey Jack Observatory for a free, open to the public, day of viewing the enormous star right above us every day, our Sun aka Sol!

The Sun will reach its maximum activity (Solar Maximum) sometime in 2024 or 2025. The views of the Sun with our solar telescopes should be particularly interesting in the near term, so please join us for Solar Sessions at Bluff Park! No reservations are required. Sessions begin at 11:00 AM and end at noon.

This special daytime experience utilizes special solar filters and solar telescopes to allow totally safe viewing of the Sun. Our sun is dynamic and may display solar flares, solar prominences and sunspots at any time, or sometimes nothing special at all!

No reservations are needed.

Depending on weather conditions, public events can be cancelled the day of the event. All cancellations will be made at least 2 hours before the event start time the day of the event and our voicemail greeting will be changed to announce the cancellation. In order to obtain cancellation details you can call our phone number, 719-398-1284. We will also try to update this event page and the Dark Skies of the Wet Mountain Valley Facebook page with cancellation details as well. However, the voicemail greeting is the primary source of up to date information.

As always, these events are free. However, as a non-profit, we rely exclusively on the generous contributions of our supporters. We do greatly appreciate your tax deductible donations!

8/22/24: We are unfortunately canceling this Star Party due to road construction blocking access to the Observatory. Thank you for your understanding and we look forward to seeing you at a future event!

Join us in celebrating the arrival of the Summer constellations, bright and overhead. The Milky Way will also be visible, stretching across the sky from the southern to northern horizon, passing through Sagittarius and neighboring constellations in the southern part of the sky. Also, the Perseid meteor shower, which begins in late July and continues into August, may still be ongoing, though past its peak.

The constellations best seen for this Star Party are:

• Sagittarius: Still visible in the southern sky during the early part of the night, Sagittarius hosts the center of the Milky Way galaxy and its famous "Teapot" asterism.

• Capricornus: Adjacent to Sagittarius, Capricornus, represented as a sea-goat, will also be observable in the southern part of the sky.

• Aquila: Known for its association with the eagle in mythology, Aquila features the bright star Altair and will be visible in the summer sky.

Attendees will be able to observe our pristine night sky thru the lens of the Smokey Jack Observatory’s 14”, state of the art telescope. Additional telescopes will be setup around the Observatory for viewing and one of our trained Star Guides will be pointing out the brightest stars and constellations.

Free and open to the public. No reservations needed.

Depending on weather conditions, public events can be cancelled the day of the event. All cancellations will be made at least 2 hours before the event start time the day of the event and our voicemail greeting will be changed to announce the cancellation. In order to obtain cancellation details you can call our phone number, 719-398-1284. We will also try to update this event page and the Dark Skies of the Wet Mountain Valley Facebook page with cancellation details as well. However, the voicemail greeting is the primary source of up to date information.

As always, these events are free. However, as a non-profit, we rely exclusively on the generous contributions of our supporters. We do greatly appreciate your tax deductible donations!

Come join us at the Smokey Jack Observatory for a free, open to the public, day of viewing the enormous star right above us every day, our Sun aka Sol!

The Sun will reach its maximum activity (Solar Maximum) sometime in 2024 or 2025. The views of the Sun with our solar telescopes should be particularly interesting in the near term, so please join us for Solar Sessions at Bluff Park! No reservations are required. Sessions begin at 11:00 AM and end at noon.

This special daytime experience utilizes special solar filters and solar telescopes to allow totally safe viewing of the Sun. Our sun is dynamic and may display solar flares, solar prominences and sunspots at any time, or sometimes nothing special at all!

No reservations are needed.

Depending on weather conditions, public events can be cancelled the day of the event. All cancellations will be made at least 2 hours before the event start time the day of the event and our voicemail greeting will be changed to announce the cancellation. In order to obtain cancellation details you can call our phone number, 719-398-1284. We will also try to update this event page and the Dark Skies of the Wet Mountain Valley Facebook page with cancellation details as well. However, the voicemail greeting is the primary source of up to date information.

As always, these events are free. However, as a non-profit, we rely exclusively on the generous contributions of our supporters. We do greatly appreciate your tax deductible donations!

Come join us at the Smokey Jack Observatory for a free, open to the public, day of viewing the enormous star right above us every day, our Sun aka Sol!

The Sun will reach its maximum activity (Solar Maximum) sometime in 2024 or 2025. The views of the Sun with our solar telescopes should be particularly interesting in the near term, so please join us for Solar Sessions at Bluff Park! No reservations are required. Sessions begin at 11:00 AM and end at noon.

This special daytime experience utilizes special solar filters and solar telescopes to allow totally safe viewing of the Sun. Our sun is dynamic and may display solar flares, solar prominences and sunspots at any time, or sometimes nothing special at all!

No reservations are needed.

Depending on weather conditions, public events can be cancelled the day of the event. All cancellations will be made at least 2 hours before the event start time the day of the event and our voicemail greeting will be changed to announce the cancellation. In order to obtain cancellation details you can call our phone number, 719-398-1284. We will also try to update this event page and the Dark Skies of the Wet Mountain Valley Facebook page with cancellation details as well. However, the voicemail greeting is the primary source of up to date information.

As always, these events are free. However, as a non-profit, we rely exclusively on the generous contributions of our supporters. We do greatly appreciate your tax deductible donations!

Have a telescope and don’t know to use it? This is a common frustration with many new astronomers. In response to this issue, we are now offering a Dark Skies of the Wet Mountain Valley exclusive workshop at the Smokey Jack Observatory (SJO) when it is closed during the full Moon phase. This is a new program for us and will likely be a work in progress. 

This workshop is geared for beginners needing help with setting up and using their telescopes.

All attendees will meet on the pad next to the SJO.

Things we can help with are:

• How to properly setup your telescope.

• What eyepieces should I use?

• How to align my telescope?

• Does my telescope even need to be aligned?

• How to collimate a telescope.

• Align the finder scope, red dot finder, or laser.

• How to find things in the night sky.

• What can I expect to see through my telescope.

We are limited in both space and the number of people we can help at any given time. We do ask that you contact us to reserve a spot. If interested, please send us your name, phone number, email, and the number of people who will be with you. We also need to know the make and model of your telescope. Send your information to workshops@darkskiescolorado.org. 

There is no fee for these workshops. However, as a non-profit, we do greatly appreciate any and all donations!

Come join us at the Smokey Jack Observatory for a free, open to the public, day of viewing the enormous star right above us every day, our Sun aka Sol!

The Sun will reach its maximum activity (Solar Maximum) sometime in 2024 or 2025. The views of the Sun with our solar telescopes should be particularly interesting in the near term, so please join us for Solar Sessions at Bluff Park! No reservations are required. Sessions begin at 11:00 AM and end at noon.

This special daytime experience utilizes special solar filters and solar telescopes to allow totally safe viewing of the Sun. Our sun is dynamic and may display solar flares, solar prominences and sunspots at any time, or sometimes nothing special at all!

No reservations are needed.

Depending on weather conditions, public events can be cancelled the day of the event. All cancellations will be made at least 2 hours before the event start time the day of the event and our voicemail greeting will be changed to announce the cancellation. In order to obtain cancellation details you can call our phone number, 719-398-1284. We will also try to update this event page and the Dark Skies of the Wet Mountain Valley Facebook page with cancellation details as well. However, the voicemail greeting is the primary source of up to date information.

As always, these events are free. However, as a non-profit, we rely exclusively on the generous contributions of our supporters. We do greatly appreciate your tax deductible donations!

Join us for a new special way to view our pristine night skies!

We'll hook up a camera to our state of the art 14” telescope at the Smokey Jack Observatory and take live images to project on a 10 foot outdoor screen from the comfort of our newly built mini amphitheater. You will be able to see full color images with amazing detail of galaxies, star clusters, planetary nebulae, and globular clusters

Please note that there will not be any additional telescopes set up for visual use. And plan to dress warmly for probable cold/chilly weather.

This event is free and open to the public. No reservations needed.

Depending on weather conditions, public events can be cancelled the day of the event. All cancellations will be made at least 2 hours before the event start time the day of the event and our voicemail greeting will be changed to announce the cancellation. In order to obtain cancellation details you can call our phone number, 719-398-1284. We will also try to update this event page and the Dark Skies of the Wet Mountain Valley Facebook page with cancellation details as well. However, the voicemail greeting is the primary source of up to date information.

As always, these events are free. However, as a non-profit, we rely exclusively on the generous contributions of our supporters. We do greatly appreciate your tax deductible donations!

Come join us at the Smokey Jack Observatory for a free, open to the public, day of viewing the enormous star right above us every day, our Sun aka Sol!

The Sun will reach its maximum activity (Solar Maximum) sometime in 2024 or 2025. The views of the Sun with our solar telescopes should be particularly interesting in the near term, so please join us for Solar Sessions at Bluff Park! No reservations are required. Sessions begin at 11:00 AM and end at noon.

This special daytime experience utilizes special solar filters and solar telescopes to allow totally safe viewing of the Sun. Our sun is dynamic and may display solar flares, solar prominences and sunspots at any time, or sometimes nothing special at all!

No reservations are needed.

Depending on weather conditions, public events can be cancelled the day of the event. All cancellations will be made at least 2 hours before the event start time the day of the event and our voicemail greeting will be changed to announce the cancellation. In order to obtain cancellation details you can call our phone number, 719-398-1284. We will also try to update this event page and the Dark Skies of the Wet Mountain Valley Facebook page with cancellation details as well. However, the voicemail greeting is the primary source of up to date information.

As always, these events are free. However, as a non-profit, we rely exclusively on the generous contributions of our supporters. We do greatly appreciate your tax deductible donations!

Join us in celebrating the arrival of the Summer constellations, bright and overhead. The Milky Way will also be visible, stretching across the sky from the southern to northern horizon, passing through Sagittarius and neighboring constellations in the southern part of the sky. Also, the Perseid meteor shower is gearing up but won't peak until mid-August

The constellations best seen for this Star Party are:

• Scorpius: This zodiac constellation will still be visible, featuring the red giant star Antares and its distinctive scorpion shape in the southern sky during the early part of the night.

• Sagittarius: Continuing to be prominent, Sagittarius hosts the center of the Milky Way galaxy and the well-known Sagittarius "Teapot" asterism. It will be visible low in the southern sky.

• Capricornus: Adjacent to Sagittarius, Capricornus, representing a sea-goat, will also be observable in the southern part of the sky.

Attendees will be able to observe our pristine night sky thru the lens of the Smokey Jack Observatory’s 14”, state of the art telescope. Additional telescopes will be setup around the Observatory for viewing and one of our trained Star Guides will be pointing out the brightest stars and constellations.

Free and open to the public. No reservations needed.

Depending on weather conditions, public events can be cancelled the day of the event. All cancellations will be made at least 2 hours before the event start time the day of the event and our voicemail greeting will be changed to announce the cancellation. In order to obtain cancellation details you can call our phone number, 719-398-1284. We will also try to update this event page and the Dark Skies of the Wet Mountain Valley Facebook page with cancellation details as well. However, the voicemail greeting is the primary source of up to date information.

As always, these events are free. However, as a non-profit, we rely exclusively on the generous contributions of our supporters. We do greatly appreciate your tax deductible donations!

Come join us at the Smokey Jack Observatory for a free, open to the public, day of viewing the enormous star right above us every day, our Sun aka Sol!

The Sun will reach its maximum activity (Solar Maximum) sometime in 2024 or 2025. The views of the Sun with our solar telescopes should be particularly interesting in the near term, so please join us for Solar Sessions at Bluff Park! No reservations are required. Sessions begin at 11:00 AM and end at noon.

This special daytime experience utilizes special solar filters and solar telescopes to allow totally safe viewing of the Sun. Our sun is dynamic and may display solar flares, solar prominences and sunspots at any time, or sometimes nothing special at all!

No reservations are needed.

Depending on weather conditions, public events can be cancelled the day of the event. All cancellations will be made at least 2 hours before the event start time the day of the event and our voicemail greeting will be changed to announce the cancellation. In order to obtain cancellation details you can call our phone number, 719-398-1284. We will also try to update this event page and the Dark Skies of the Wet Mountain Valley Facebook page with cancellation details as well. However, the voicemail greeting is the primary source of up to date information.

As always, these events are free. However, as a non-profit, we rely exclusively on the generous contributions of our supporters. We do greatly appreciate your tax deductible donations!

Come join us at the Smokey Jack Observatory for a free, open to the public, day of viewing the enormous star right above us every day, our Sun aka Sol!

The Sun will reach its maximum activity (Solar Maximum) sometime in 2024 or 2025. The views of the Sun with our solar telescopes should be particularly interesting in the near term, so please join us for Solar Sessions at Bluff Park! No reservations are required. Sessions begin at 11:00 AM and end at noon.

This special daytime experience utilizes special solar filters and solar telescopes to allow totally safe viewing of the Sun. Our sun is dynamic and may display solar flares, solar prominences and sunspots at any time, or sometimes nothing special at all!

No reservations are needed.

Depending on weather conditions, public events can be cancelled the day of the event. All cancellations will be made at least 2 hours before the event start time the day of the event and our voicemail greeting will be changed to announce the cancellation. In order to obtain cancellation details you can call our phone number, 719-398-1284. We will also try to update this event page and the Dark Skies of the Wet Mountain Valley Facebook page with cancellation details as well. However, the voicemail greeting is the primary source of up to date information.

As always, these events are free. However, as a non-profit, we rely exclusively on the generous contributions of our supporters. We do greatly appreciate your tax deductible donations!

Join us for a new special way to view our pristine night skies!

We'll hook up a camera to our state of the art 14” telescope at the Smokey Jack Observatory and take live images to project on a 10 foot outdoor screen from the comfort of our newly built mini amphitheater. You will be able to see full color images with amazing detail of galaxies, star clusters, planetary nebulae, and globular clusters

Please note that there will not be any additional telescopes set up for visual use. And plan to dress warmly for probable cold/chilly weather.

This event is free and open to the public. No reservations needed.

Depending on weather conditions, public events can be cancelled the day of the event. All cancellations will be made at least 2 hours before the event start time the day of the event and our voicemail greeting will be changed to announce the cancellation. In order to obtain cancellation details you can call our phone number, 719-398-1284. We will also try to update this event page and the Dark Skies of the Wet Mountain Valley Facebook page with cancellation details as well. However, the voicemail greeting is the primary source of up to date information.

As always, these events are free. However, as a non-profit, we rely exclusively on the generous contributions of our supporters. We do greatly appreciate your tax deductible donations!

Come join us at the Smokey Jack Observatory for a free, open to the public, day of viewing the enormous star right above us every day, our Sun aka Sol!

The Sun will reach its maximum activity (Solar Maximum) sometime in 2024 or 2025. The views of the Sun with our solar telescopes should be particularly interesting in the near term, so please join us for Solar Sessions at Bluff Park! No reservations are required. Sessions begin at 11:00 AM and end at noon.

This special daytime experience utilizes special solar filters and solar telescopes to allow totally safe viewing of the Sun. Our sun is dynamic and may display solar flares, solar prominences and sunspots at any time, or sometimes nothing special at all!

No reservations are needed.

Depending on weather conditions, public events can be cancelled the day of the event. All cancellations will be made at least 2 hours before the event start time the day of the event and our voicemail greeting will be changed to announce the cancellation. In order to obtain cancellation details you can call our phone number, 719-398-1284. We will also try to update this event page and the Dark Skies of the Wet Mountain Valley Facebook page with cancellation details as well. However, the voicemail greeting is the primary source of up to date information.

As always, these events are free. However, as a non-profit, we rely exclusively on the generous contributions of our supporters. We do greatly appreciate your tax deductible donations!

Join us in celebrating the arrival of the Summer constellations, bright and overhead. The Milky Way will also be visible, stretching across the sky from the southern to northern horizon, passing through Sagittarius and neighboring constellations in the southern part of the sky.

The constellations best seen for this Star Party are:

• Sagittarius: Home to the center of the Milky Way galaxy, this constellation boasts several bright stars and the famous Sagittarius "Teapot" asterism. It's best observed in the southern sky during the summer months.

• Capricornus: Represented as a sea-goat, this constellation neighbors Sagittarius and is home to some moderately bright stars.

• Aquila: Known for its association with the eagle in mythology, Aquila features the bright star Altair and is visible in the summer sky.

Attendees will be able to observe our pristine night sky thru the lens of the Smokey Jack Observatory’s 14”, state of the art telescope. Additional telescopes will be setup around the Observatory for viewing and one of our trained Star Guides will be pointing out the brightest stars and constellations.

Free and open to the public. No reservations needed.

Depending on weather conditions, public events can be cancelled the day of the event. All cancellations will be made at least 2 hours before the event start time the day of the event and our voicemail greeting will be changed to announce the cancellation. In order to obtain cancellation details you can call our phone number, 719-398-1284. We will also try to update this event page and the Dark Skies of the Wet Mountain Valley Facebook page with cancellation details as well. However, the voicemail greeting is the primary source of up to date information.

As always, these events are free. However, as a non-profit, we rely exclusively on the generous contributions of our supporters. We do greatly appreciate your tax deductible donations!

Come join us at the Smokey Jack Observatory for a free, open to the public, day of viewing the enormous star right above us every day, our Sun aka Sol!

The Sun will reach its maximum activity (Solar Maximum) sometime in 2024 or 2025. The views of the Sun with our solar telescopes should be particularly interesting in the near term, so please join us for Solar Sessions at Bluff Park! No reservations are required. Sessions begin at 11:00 AM and end at noon.

This special daytime experience utilizes special solar filters and solar telescopes to allow totally safe viewing of the Sun. Our sun is dynamic and may display solar flares, solar prominences and sunspots at any time, or sometimes nothing special at all!

No reservations are needed.

Depending on weather conditions, public events can be cancelled the day of the event. All cancellations will be made at least 2 hours before the event start time the day of the event and our voicemail greeting will be changed to announce the cancellation. In order to obtain cancellation details you can call our phone number, 719-398-1284. We will also try to update this event page and the Dark Skies of the Wet Mountain Valley Facebook page with cancellation details as well. However, the voicemail greeting is the primary source of up to date information.

As always, these events are free. However, as a non-profit, we rely exclusively on the generous contributions of our supporters. We do greatly appreciate your tax deductible donations!

Have a telescope and don’t know to use it? This is a common frustration with many new astronomers. In response to this issue, we are now offering a Dark Skies of the Wet Mountain Valley exclusive workshop at the Smokey Jack Observatory (SJO) when it is closed during the full Moon phase. This is a new program for us and will likely be a work in progress. 

This workshop is geared for beginners needing help with setting up and using their telescopes.

All attendees will meet on the pad next to the SJO.

Things we can help with are:

• How to properly setup your telescope.

• What eyepieces should I use?

• How to align my telescope?

• Does my telescope even need to be aligned?

• How to collimate a telescope.

• Align the finder scope, red dot finder, or laser.

• How to find things in the night sky.

• What can I expect to see through my telescope.

We are limited in both space and the number of people we can help at any given time. We do ask that you contact us to reserve a spot. If interested, please send us your name, phone number, email, and the number of people who will be with you. We also need to know the make and model of your telescope. Send your information to workshops@darkskiescolorado.org. 

There is no fee for these workshops. However, as a non-profit, we do greatly appreciate any and all donations!

Join us for a new special way to view our pristine night skies!

We'll hook up a camera to our state of the art 14” telescope at the Smokey Jack Observatory and take live images to project on a 10 foot outdoor screen from the comfort of our newly built mini amphitheater. You will be able to see full color images with amazing detail of galaxies, star clusters, planetary nebulae, and globular clusters

Please note that there will not be any additional telescopes set up for visual use. And plan to dress warmly for probable cold/chilly weather.

This event is free and open to the public. No reservations needed.

Depending on weather conditions, public events can be cancelled the day of the event. All cancellations will be made at least 2 hours before the event start time the day of the event and our voicemail greeting will be changed to announce the cancellation. In order to obtain cancellation details you can call our phone number, 719-398-1284. We will also try to update this event page and the Dark Skies of the Wet Mountain Valley Facebook page with cancellation details as well. However, the voicemail greeting is the primary source of up to date information.

As always, these events are free. However, as a non-profit, we rely exclusively on the generous contributions of our supporters. We do greatly appreciate your tax deductible donations!

Come join us at the Smokey Jack Observatory for a free, open to the public, day of viewing the enormous star right above us every day, our Sun aka Sol!

The Sun will reach its maximum activity (Solar Maximum) sometime in 2024 or 2025. The views of the Sun with our solar telescopes should be particularly interesting in the near term, so please join us for Solar Sessions at Bluff Park! No reservations are required. Sessions begin at 11:00 AM and end at noon.

This special daytime experience utilizes special solar filters and solar telescopes to allow totally safe viewing of the Sun. Our sun is dynamic and may display solar flares, solar prominences and sunspots at any time, or sometimes nothing special at all!

No reservations are needed.

Depending on weather conditions, public events can be cancelled the day of the event. All cancellations will be made at least 2 hours before the event start time the day of the event and our voicemail greeting will be changed to announce the cancellation. In order to obtain cancellation details you can call our phone number, 719-398-1284. We will also try to update this event page and the Dark Skies of the Wet Mountain Valley Facebook page with cancellation details as well. However, the voicemail greeting is the primary source of up to date information.

As always, these events are free. However, as a non-profit, we rely exclusively on the generous contributions of our supporters. We do greatly appreciate your tax deductible donations!

Join us in celebrating the arrival of the Summer constellations, bright and overhead. The Milky Way will also be visible, stretching across the sky from the southern to northern horizon, passing through the constellations of Sagittarius and Scorpius in the southern sky.

The constellations best seen for this Star Party are Ursa Major (home to the Big Dipper), Leo, Boötes, Virgo, and Hercules.

• Ursa Major, known for the prominent asterism the Big Dipper, is one of the most recognizable constellations in the northern sky. Its seven bright stars form a distinct shape resembling a ladle or a plough.

• Leo is a prominent zodiac constellation, characterized by its distinctive backward question mark shape known as the Sickle. It contains several bright stars, including Regulus, and is associated with the Nemean Lion in Greek mythology.

• Boötes, represented as a herdsman or plowman, features the bright star Arcturus. It's easily spotted due to its kite-like shape and is best observed in late spring and early summer in the northern hemisphere.

• Virgo, the second-largest constellation, hosts the bright star Spica. It's often depicted as a maiden holding a spike of grain and is prominent in the late spring and early summer skies.

• Hercules is a constellation associated with the hero from Greek mythology. Its distinctive feature is the Keystone asterism, formed by four stars, and it contains the spectacular Hercules Cluster (Messier 13), a globular cluster visible with binoculars or a telescope.

Attendees will be able to observe our pristine night sky thru the lens of the Smokey Jack Observatory’s 14”, state of the art telescope. Additional telescopes will be setup around the Observatory for viewing and one of our trained Star Guides will be pointing out the brightest stars and constellations.

Free and open to the public. No reservations needed.

Depending on weather conditions, public events can be cancelled the day of the event. All cancellations will be made at least 2 hours before the event start time the day of the event and our voicemail greeting will be changed to announce the cancellation. In order to obtain cancellation details you can call our phone number, 719-398-1284. We will also try to update this event page and the Dark Skies of the Wet Mountain Valley Facebook page with cancellation details as well. However, the voicemail greeting is the primary source of up to date information.

As always, these events are free. However, as a non-profit, we rely exclusively on the generous contributions of our supporters. We do greatly appreciate your tax deductible donations!

Come join us at the Smokey Jack Observatory for a free, open to the public, day of viewing the enormous star right above us every day, our Sun aka Sol!

The Sun will reach its maximum activity (Solar Maximum) sometime in 2024 or 2025. The views of the Sun with our solar telescopes should be particularly interesting in the near term, so please join us for Solar Sessions at Bluff Park! No reservations are required. Sessions begin at 11:00 AM and end at noon.

This special daytime experience utilizes special solar filters and solar telescopes to allow totally safe viewing of the Sun. Our sun is dynamic and may display solar flares, solar prominences and sunspots at any time, or sometimes nothing special at all!

No reservations are needed.

Depending on weather conditions, public events can be cancelled the day of the event. All cancellations will be made at least 2 hours before the event start time the day of the event and our voicemail greeting will be changed to announce the cancellation. In order to obtain cancellation details you can call our phone number, 719-398-1284. We will also try to update this event page and the Dark Skies of the Wet Mountain Valley Facebook page with cancellation details as well. However, the voicemail greeting is the primary source of up to date information.

As always, these events are free. However, as a non-profit, we rely exclusively on the generous contributions of our supporters. We do greatly appreciate your tax deductible donations!