This Dark Sky Observations course is led by educators at Antelope Island State Park, and will take place on September 20th - 22nd, 2022. The course will begin at 1:00pm on Tuesday, and end around 2:00pm on Thursday. Activities will go late into the evening. You'll have an opportunity to camp on Antelope Island State Park if you wish and a group camping site will be available at no cost. We will share the specific schedule of the course as we get closer.

You will be given access to the Dark Sky Observations online course one month before the start of this field course, and you will be required to complete the online course before attending the field course.   

This is an adult education program that is open to participants 18 years of age and older.  Exceptions for teens as young as 15 may be made if a parent/guardian is also registering for the course.  Please email utahmasternaturalist@usu.edu if you would like to bring a child as young as 15.

Course Description

Come explore the solar system with us as we learn about the planets, stars and constellations, and the ways that we can help protect our dark skies.  You'll have an opportunity to learn how to operate a telescope as we observe the night sky. 

Dark Sky Observations was created to help meet the growing demand for trained staff and volunteers to provide dark sky programs for astrotourism. The course is the result of years of work by several cooperating agencies, including Cedar Breaks National Monument that developed the Master Astronomer Program, Utah State Parks, and Utah Master Naturalist.    Class size is small in order to maximize your opportunities for learning and having fun!

Each Utah Master Naturalist course consists of 40 hours of instruction, with approximately 16 hours covered in the online course, and the remaining 24 hours spent outdoors in a field course.  Field course activities will include instructor-led discussions, guest presentations on relevant resource issues, small group activities, and open discussions.

Course Materials

All course materials are available for download here.  It is highly recommended that you look it over before the start of the course. 

Course Fees

The $250 registration fee covers the cost of both the online course ($50) and the field course ($200).  There is an option to register for four (4.5) USU continuing education credits (CEUs) for an additional recording fee of $135 on the first day of the field course. 

Refunds

If circumstances change and you are unable to join us, we can refund your registration (less the non-refundable Eventbrite fee) if you cancel at least one week prior to the first field day. Cancelling less than one week in advance results in a refund of 50%. If you have completed the online course prior to cancellation, you will receive a refund of $200 (less the non-refundable Eventbrite fee). We are unable to issue any refund if a registered participant is a no-show at the start of the course. Please email utahmasternaturalist@usu.edu if you would like to request a refund.