Star Party July 18th at Paradise

Star Party at Paradise: Saturday July 18, 9:45 PM to at least 11:45 PM (Weather Permitting)

Families and individuals of all ages are invited to the Paradise area of Mount Rainier National Park for a special “star viewing party” on Saturday July 18.  The event starts at 9:45 PM at the plaza in front of the Jackson Visitor Center at Paradise. If the sky remains clear, the event will last until at least 11:45 PM.  The outdoor star gazing will be led by the 2015 Mount Rainier Astro-Volunteer team. These volunteers donate the use of their personal telescopes for the public and educate about the night skies.

Weather permitting, nightly star viewing with at least one of the Mount Rainier astronomers will take place outside the Paradise Jackson Visitor Center through Labor Day this season.  This Saturday, all six of the Mount Rainier Astro-Volunteer team will be present with telescopes for this special event. If weather makes star gazing difficult, the star party will be cancelled.  Call the Mount Rainier Astronomy hotline at 360-569-6230 for updates on sky viewing and cancellations.

The National Park Service has come to embrace night skies as one of the many scenic vistas the agency is a steward of. It is essential to keeping a park whole and touches on almost every aspect that is important to us - from sustainability to stargazers, and animals to ancient ruins.

This event is free and open to all.  The entry fee to the park is $20 per private vehicle.

Information about the National Park Service Natural Lightscapes program is available at http://www.nature.nps.gov/air/lightscapes/

General park information is available at www.nps.gov/mora or by calling 360-569-2211.