Death Valley National Park hosts Star Party on 6-7 November
Published on 10/11/2026 at 02:49 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSKey points in brief
- Death Valley National Park will host the Death Valley Star Party from 6 to 7 November 2026 near Furnace Creek.
- The event includes telescope stargazing at Fiddler's Campground and solar viewing at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center on 7 November 2026.
- Death Valley National Park is recognised as an International Dark Sky Park by the International Dark-Sky Association.
Death Valley National Park will host the Death Valley Star Party from 6 to 7 November 2026 near Furnace Creek. The public programme brings the Las Vegas Astronomical Society to Fiddler's Campground and the Furnace Creek Visitor Center for night-sky and solar observations.
Death Valley Star Party runs from 6 to 7 November
The event runs on Friday 6 November and Saturday 7 November 2026. Stargazing is scheduled for both evenings from 7pm to 10pm at Fiddler's Campground, while solar viewing is planned for Saturday from 10am to 2pm at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center.
The organiser lists the programme as free to attend and says all experience levels are welcome. The Fall 2026 Star Party programme identifies the Las Vegas Astronomical Society as the group providing the telescopes and solar equipment. The National Park Service also lists the 7 November star party at Fiddler's Campground, with parking at the visitor centre and a short walk to the event area.
Why the Star Party suits the park's protected darkness
The programme is tied closely to the park's setting rather than being a general astronomy event. Fiddler's Campground sits beside the Furnace Creek Visitor Center, placing the evening telescope sessions within the Furnace Creek area where the National Park Service has worked to reduce glare from artificial lighting.
The National Park Service says the park was the third International Dark Sky Park certified in the US national park system. Lighting in developed areas is directed towards walkways and parking areas instead of the sky, while the remote setting limits light pollution. Those measures give the November programme a direct connection to the landscape: visitors can move from a lit visitor centre to a managed dark-sky setting without leaving the park.
Death Valley stretches between the Amargosa Range and the Panamint Range in California and Nevada. The wide basin, mountain horizons and low levels of artificial light are part of the setting for the two-night programme, while the visitor centre provides the Saturday daytime base for solar viewing. The National Park Service describes the park as an excellent place to view the Milky Way and encourages visitors to experience its night sky after dark.
Visiting Death Valley National Park: dates and access
- The Death Valley Star Party takes place from 6 to 7 November 2026. Evening stargazing is at Fiddler's Campground from 7pm to 10pm on both nights.
- Solar viewing is scheduled for 7 November 2026 from 10am to 2pm at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center. The National Park Service event listing places parking at the visitor centre and describes a short walk to Fiddler's Campground.
- Furnace Creek is the practical reference point for the programme. The event page gives the visitor centre as the parking location and Fiddler's Campground as the evening venue.
- The terrain is a desert basin bordered by mountain ranges. The park's remote setting and very dark skies make a torch with red light preferable to bright white light during night-sky viewing.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Death Valley National Park
When does the Death Valley Star Party take place?
The event takes place from 6 to 7 November 2026. Stargazing is scheduled for 7pm to 10pm on both evenings, with solar viewing on 7 November 2026.
Where is Death Valley National Park and how do you get there?
The programme is in the Furnace Creek area of California, at Fiddler's Campground and the Furnace Creek Visitor Center. Parking is listed at the visitor centre, followed by a short walk to the campground.
What is Death Valley National Park?
It is a protected desert landscape in California and Nevada, known for very dark skies, mountain ranges and the Badwater Basin area below sea level.
