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Star Parties at Cedar Breaks
As darkness
falls on Cedar Breaks National Monument, a different kind of light
illuminates the night sky. That light, which comes from objects
out in space transforms the night from a place of darkness into
a place of wonder.
Cedar Breaks National Monument has some of the darkest
night skies in the country. As Southwestern Utah grows and develops,
“light pollution” in the form of stray artificial light
is a growing problem which masks the beauty and intensity of a dark
starlit sky. In the high elevation night skies of Cedar Breaks,
the stars shine nearly as bright as they did in the time before
the invention of the light bulb.
To celebrate and share the beauty of our dark night
skies, Cedar Breaks is throwing a series of monthly “Star
Parties”. Star parties will be held on Saturdays beginning
July 19th, with similar events on August 2nd and 23rd, and September
6th and 20th. Each star party will be conducted by park staff and
astronomy volunteers at 10 pm on Point Supreme. Star viewing will
take place through several large telescopes; however, visitors who
own their own telescopes are invited to bring them along.
Dress warmly for the cool night air at this high
elevation, and come prepared to enjoy a late night of star gazing
at Cedar Breaks! Cedar Breaks National Monument is located 23 miles
east of Cedar City, via Highways 14 and 148. More information is
available by contacting Robin Hampton at 435-586-0787 ext. 41 or
the Monument’s administrative office at 435-586-9451.
Updated events
and activities, program offerings, and other park information are
also available for downloading at the Cedar Breaks National Monument
website: www.nps.gov/cebr .
• Wildflower
Festival Cedar Breaks National Monument will
host its first Wildflower Festival June 30-July 16. Visitors can
participate in guided hikes focusing on the flowers and how to identify
them. According to Steve Robinson, chief park ranger at Cedar Breaks
National Monument, the wildflower display is expected to be especially
beautiful this year.
• Plan
Your Visit From early June to mid-October, the
visitor center is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Visitor
facilities are CLOSED from mid-October through late May. For more
information on Cedar
Breaks National Monument click here.
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