SUNSET: 
Upcoming Astronomy Events
As a service to our community, Sky & Telescope lists astronomy-related events, including star parties, observatory public nights, astronomy talks, and more. Star parties offer dark skies and astronomical fellowship and often cater to families and feature special activities for kids. Public nights give the general public a chance to view the sky through large telescopes, and public talks are a great place to learn the fundamentals of the science and the craft.
You’ll also see online events offered here.
And if you’d like free copies of Sky & Telescope’s Let’s Go Stargazing flyer or door prizes for your next star party, you can fill out this form.
Enchanted Skies Star Party 2026
October 6 @ 10:00 am - October 11 @ 11:30 am MDT
$125.00
The six-day and five-night Enchanted Skies Start Party (ESSP) in New Mexico has been running annually since 1994 and is now managed by the Magdalena Astronomical Society, Inc. Operating now at the private Montosa Ranch Campground since 2024, the dark-sky site is at an altitude of 7,200 feet and is located only eight miles away from the center of the iconic Very Large Array radio telescope of National Radio Astronomy Observatory. The present ESSP site, in its environment and amenities, surpasses all others in the history of the event. ESSP is proud to offer an especially strong afternoon lecture program scheduled over four days and a swap meet during two mornings. The Montosa camp, while rustic, is spacious and reminiscent of Camp Oaks, the location of the former Riverside Telescope Makers convention. ESSP attracts regularly returning participants from as far away as Europe, and it is located immediately off New Mexico Highway 60 in the region's increasingly recognized "Highway 60 Dark Sky Corridor." A large number of private observatories and remote-access telescope hosting facilities are growing rapidly in the region. Professional projects ranging from the VLA radio telescope and New Mexico Tech's nearby Magdalena Ridge Observatory at 10,800 feet are literally within sight of ESSP. The summit of Mount Withington at 10,115 feet, an attraction for observing at high altitude, is also within sight and is less than an hour away using an appropriate 4-wheel-drive vehicle.
