Utah Master Naturalist: Dark Sky Observations (Antelope Island State Park)

This Dark Sky Observations course is a partnership with Antelope Island State Park and will take place September 19 - 21, 2025 within the park. The schedule is as follows: Friday: 11 am - 11 pm (1 hour breaks for lunch and dinner), Saturday 1 pm - 11pm (1 hour break for dinner), and Sunday 10 am - 3:00 pm (working lunch). A group campsite is reserved for the class for complementary overnight camping on Friday and Saturday nights.

You will have access to the Dark Sky Observations online course 6 weeks before the start of the field course - students are required to complete the online material 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 [email protected] if you would like to bring a child younger than 18.

Course Description

Dark Skies are a critical component for many species here on earth to thrive. In this Dark Sky Observations course, you will explore the solar system, learn about the planets, stars, constellations, and the ways that we can help protect our dark skies. You'll also 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.

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 include instructor-led discussions, guest presentations on relevant resource issues, small group activities, and open discussions. Class size is small to maximize your opportunities for learning and having fun!

Course Materials

All course materials are available for download here . It is highly recommended that you read them before the start of the course.

There are not hard copies of the manual at this time.

Course Fees

The $250 registration fee covers the cost of both the online course and the field course. If you previously completed the online portion of this course, email [email protected] before you register for this course to receive a discount code. USU credit is no longer available for Utah Master Naturalist courses. There is an opportunity to earn 4 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) from Utah State University for an additional recording fee of $120. If you would like to receive this credit, please indicate so on the order form at checkout.

Cancellation & Refunds

If you cancel at least two weeks prior to the start of the course, you will be refunded your course registration, less a $30 administrative fee. Canceling less than two weeks prior to the course results in a refund of 50% of the registration fee (less processing fees). We are unable to issue any refund if a registered participant is a no-show at the start of the course. Cancellation & refund requests can be sent to [email protected].

Info: Meet at Antelope Island State Park. The first part of Friday will be spent primarily indoors where we will begin our group learning through a series of presentations and activities. After our indoor session, from 5 to 6 pm, there is a one hour break for dinner. At 6 pm, we resume our class outside as we engage in our first round of celestial observations. By 11 pm, we will wrap things up for day 1.

Info: Saturday morning is free time: sleep in, hike around the park, etc. We gather again at 1 pm for another indoor session, building on the knowledge and experience gained yesterday. Today's 1-hour dinner break is from 6 to 7 pm. At 7 pm, we resume our class outside for our second round of night sky observations, wrapping up at 11 pm.

Info: Sunday gets started at 10 am with a final indoor session. We will end our time together at 3 pm, but you are welcome to spend the rest of the day exploring Antelope Island on your own.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Antelope Island State Park, 4528 West 1700 South, Syracuse, United States