2025 Dark Sky Festival sets new visitation record
2025 Dark Sky Festival sets new visitation record
Photo credit: NASA Earth to Sky
DEATH VALLEY, Calif. – Clear skies, calm winds, and scientists from around the country combined to create a stellar experience during the recent Dark Sky Festival in Death Valley National Park. With a total of 6,824 program attendees, this year’s festival marked the highest attendance in its 13-year history.
Death Valley’s unique landscape helps scientists understand the surfaces of other planets and moons. Low amounts of light pollution make the park a great place to view the night sky.
The Dark Sky Festival started with a virtual lift-off event on Thursday, February 20, featuring a talk by Dr. Michael Malaska from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. This was followed by three days of in-person auditorium talks, field trips, astrophotography meet-ups, family programs, night sky tours, and other presentations.
Photo credit: NPS/S. Lamar
Over 1,100 people attended each night’s Star Party. Attendees peered into deep space using telescopes provided by the Las Vegas Astronomical Society and heard park rangers talk about astronomy.
“This festival wouldn’t be possible without the hard work of NPS staff and our numerous partners,” said Superintendent Mike Reynolds. “Together we were able to share the wonders of the night sky and celebrate Death Valley’s role as a planetary analog with the public.”
Programs are held in partnership with the NASA’s Ames Research Center, Goddard Space Flight Center, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Desert Research Center, National Ecological Observatory Network, Death Valley Natural History Association, Vegas Astronomical Society, and SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence).
Dates for the 2026 Dark Sky Festival will be announced by autumn.
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