For the 15th year, star gazers will be gathering at Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah this coming June 17-20 to enjoy the park's astronomy festival.

“Through the ages, the night sky has drawn our gaze upwards connecting us to our heritage. Bryce Canyon is a perfect place to experience such clarity and wonder with its renowned dark skies,” said park superintendent Lisa E. Eckert.

This year’s festival features familiar favorites, such as star gazing with telescopes and rocket building, as well as new presentations. Keynote speaker Derek J. Demeter, director of the Emil Buehler Perpetual Trust Planetarium at Seminole State College of Florida, will present “The Story of the Universe” at 9:30 p.m., Friday June 19th, at Ebenezer’s Barn and Grill in Bryce Canyon City. This event costs $3 per person or $10/family (other programs have no cost, but may require tickets due to seating space).

The event’s partners include the Salt Lake Astronomical Society, Celestron LLC, and the St. George Astronomy Group. These partners, along with Bryce Canyon National Park’s “Dark Rangers,” will be on hand to interpret the night sky following each evening program. Planetarium educator Dr. Amy Sayle will dazzle onlookers with “Star Stories and Assistant Professor Rob Owen from Oberlin College will examine the movie industry and physics of the real world in “When Hollywood Gets the Science Right.”

The visitor center will be open from 8 a.m. to midnight each day of the festival. For more detailed information on day-by-day activities, tickets, and rocket building kits, consult the Bryce Canyon Astronomy Festival website.