Dark Sky Festival

Join us for the Dark Sky Festival 2024!

Schedule of Events:

Sequoia National Park: Giant Forest Area

10:00am -2:00pm: Sun Zone

Presented by: Sequoia Parks Conservancy
Location: Giant Forest Museum

NOAA Weather Station Hanford, Sequoia Parks Conservancy, NPS Rangers, the Riverside Astronomical Society, Chaffee Zoo, and a NASA Solar System Ambassador

10:00am - 5:00pm: Walk Around the Solar System

Self Guided
Location: Round Meadow

It is called "space" for a reason. If the sun were a large grapefruit in our model, the earth would be a grape seed fifty feet away, and there would not be much in between! Come walk the solar system, learning some interesting facts about our place in the universe along the way!

10:00am - 11:00am: Rachel Crane - CNN Innovation and Space Correspondent

Location: Beetle Rock Center

11:00am - 11:20am: NPS Ranger Forest Feature

Location: Giant Forest Museum

Join a ranger to explore various topics that happen after sunset in Sequoia National Park.

11:30am - 12:30pm: NASA's Journey to Mars

Presenter: Terry Himes
Location: Beetle Rock Center

Curiosity rover landed in 2012, Insight lander in 2018, Perseverance rover in 2021. They all are now in their science phase. And the Ingenuity helicopter is making spectacular history. How we fly a helicopter on Mars will be discussed. We will talk in vivid detail, all those missions plus the future Mars Sample Return and beyond.

1:00pm - 2:00pm: All About Telescopes

Presenter: Darren Bly
Location: Beetle Rock Center

Darren has been an amateur astronomer from the age of 11. He has spent over 50 years observing the night sky specializing in visual observation. As a 45 year member of the Kern Astronomical Society, he has been President, Vice President, Events Coordinator and Equipment Chairman. His greatest joy is organizing public events to share his love of astronomy.

3:00pm - 4:00pm: Astrophotography Presentation

Presenter: Brian Fulda
Location: Beetle Rock Center

Explore the universe from America's darkest skies with traveling astrophotographer Brian Fulda, who captures stunning images of space through his telescope. Learn about how these photographs are captured, the crucial role dark skies play in making the images possible, and ongoing efforts to combat light pollution.

Sequoia National Park: Lodgepole

3:00pm - 4:30pm: Nocturnal Animal Critter Talk and Table

Presenter: NPS
Location: Lodgepole Visitor Center

Join a ranger to learn about some of the animals that are active and night and what adaptations they use.

6:15pm - 7:00pm: Pena Planetarium Kid Program

Presenter: Mg Swarts
Location: Lodgepole Amphitheater

Mg joined the Tulare County Office of Education Planetarium and Theatre Company in February of 2023. A lifelong nerd for all things theatre, storytelling, and learning, Mg is thrilled to serve as TCOE's first OnStage and Planetarium Facilitator. Beginning with kids' choirs in childhood and a dad who would randomly burst into song, Mg has always been surrounded by music. They are a self-taught ukulele player, and they do nightly performances of "bedtime stories with ma'dada" for their two kiddos. Mg holds a bachelor's degree in Speech-Language Pathology with a minor in Theatre from Fresno State, and a master's degree in Education from San Francisco State. Mg loves working at the Planetarium and Science Center getting kids excited about astronomy and space, because really, we are all scientists! All it takes to do science is to get curious about the world, ask questions, and keep learning more.

7:00pm - 7:30pm: History and Impact of the Dark Sky Festival

Presenter: Sequoia Parks Conservancy Executive Director, Savannah Boiano
Location: Lodgepole Amphitheater

Sequoia National Park: Wuksachi

1:30pm - 2:30pm

Presenter: Jeremy Evans
Location: Wuksachi Alta Room

Jeremy Evans is a professional photographer, filmmaker, amateur astronomer and delegate for Dark Sky International. When not working on TV shows and documentaries he's often out backpacking or living off the grid enjoying nature and dark skies.

3:00pm - 4:00pm: Nivedita Mahesh

Presenter: CalTech
Location: Wuksachi Alta Room

How did the first stars of our universe form? What do we mean by the Dark Ages? When did the Cosmic Dawn occur? To answer all of these fundamental questions about our universe we need radio telescopes in the most remote places - some scientists argue even on the Moon! In this talk ill tell you how and why radio astronomy is the best way to unravel the mysteries of our early universe!

5:00pm - 6:00pm: Meets the Stars of the Dark Sky Festival

Meet the Presenters
Location: Wuksachi Alta Room

Meet some of our guest speakers, scientists, and astronomers, as well as event organizers from the Sequoia Parks Conservancy and the National Park Service.  This informal mixer is a great opportunity to meet people from across the state and country that share a passion for everything in and under our Dark Skies.

9:00pm - 11:00pm: Star Party w/KAS

Star Party with Sequoia Parks Conservancy and Kern Astronomical Society Location: Wuksachi Back Parking Lot

Hosted by the Kern Astronomical Society. Telescopes will be set up at the Wuksachi Lodge back parking lot in Lodgepole for guests to view astronomical objects. Astronomers will be on hand to show you deep-sky objects and answer your questions.

Kings Canyon National Park: Grant Grove

10:00am - 11:00am: Tour of our Solar System -Great from 3rd grade and up!

Presenter: Fred Lusk
Location: Kings Canyon Visitor Center

Come with us on a tour of our very own solar system. We will start our travels at the Sun and go all the way past Pluto, stopping along the different planets in our solar system along the way.

10:00am - 5:00pm: Walk Around the Solar System

Self Guided
Location: Kings Canyon Panoramic Point

It is called "space" for a reason. If the sun were a large grapefruit in our model, the earth would be a grape seed fifty feet away, and there would not be much in between! Come walk the solar system, learning some interesting facts about our place in the universe along the way!

11:30am - 12:30pm: The Antikythera Mechanism: The 2000 year old eclipse computer

Presenter: Khaled Alktob
Location: Kings Canyon Visitor Center

One hundred years ago, sponge divers discovered a rusted bronze mechanism off the Greek island of Antikythera. After decades of mystery, an international team of astronomical historians discovered that this mystifying object was the oldest computer in the world. Come see a working model of this 2,000-year-old eclipse computer and learn of its history.

1:00pm - 2:00pm: Keynote Speaker Rebecca Boyle

Kings Canyon Keynote Address
Location: Kings Canyon Visitor Center

The Moon is one of Earth's most unique features-and it shapes all of the other things that make our planet special, from its geology to its multitudes of life, including us. Life might not have evolved on Earth at all without the Moon's stabilizing gravitational influence. After we humans showed up, the Moon quickly became our primary way of telling time and organizing our lives. It shaped our understanding of our place in the universe, and helped us to invent forms of religious devotion and the process of science. The Moon plays a major role in our most famous wars, our greatest adventures, and our shared futures. And now, humans are trying to go back to the Moon's surface - soon, and with plans to stay. What do we owe to our spectral satellite

2:30pm - 3:30pm: Observing the Night Sky: Embrace the hobby with a local astronomer

Presenter: Fred Lusk
Location: Kings Canyon Visitor Center

Have you ever wondered what is really up there in the night sky? You're not alone! Many people often wonder how they can start their own stargazing adventure. Join us for this fun and engaging presentation to learn about observing deep sky objects and how you can start to observe the night sky at home!

4:00pm - 5:00pm: JR Ranger Night Sky Jaunt

Presenter: NPS
Location: Meet at Kings Canyon Visitor Center

Join a ranger to explore the wonders of the night sky.

Star Party w/CVA

Star Party with Sequoia Parks Conservancy and Central Valley Astronomers
Location: Big Stump Parking Lot

Hosted by the Central Valley Astronomers. Telescopes will be set up at Big Stump parking lot in Grant Grove for guests to view astronomical objects. Astronomers will be on hand to show you deep-sky objects and answer your questions.