Cascade Astronomy Festival

This weeklong celebration in Central Oregon will support Cascade Astronomy and Rocketry Academy’s (CARA) educational programs.

The Cascade Astronomy Festival brings together space science professionals, amateur astronomers, educators, and public young and old for a stellar experience in Central Oregon.  Celebrate the beauty of the dark night sky and the awe & wonder of space. Come see why so many people enjoy the dark skies of Central Oregon.

Novices and experts alike will enjoy daily family-friendly activities and evening presentations with special guest speakers. Programs include tours of local observatories, solar observing opportunities, guest speakers and public stargazing activities. For those serious amateur astronomers looking for a dark sky location, we have that too, with a spot for camping in Brothers, 40 miles east of Bend, Oregon.

Festival participants will have access to daytime and nighttime viewing opportunities throughout Central Oregon. Registration includes lectures at Central Oregon Community College, tours and viewing at Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory and Worthy Hopservatory, along with other public programming.

Camping is included at our dark sky location, or choose to stay at one of our lodging partners. Registration is currently open at CascadeAstronomy.org with a limited number of tickets available.

October 5: Dark Sky Camping in Brothers

October 6: Talk: Bill Kowalik – Dark Sky Oregon- “Dark Skies in Oregon – the Current Reality vs the Potential”

October 7: Viewing at the Hopservatory at Worthy Brewing

October 8: Solar Viewing and Observatory Tour at Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory

October 9: Talk: Dr. Shane Larson | Feeling Small in a Big Cosmos

October 9: Nighttime viewing at Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory

October 10: Swap Meet and Marketplace

October 11: Talk: Dr Scott Fisher from University of Oregon / Pine Mt. Observatory

Registration: $85 Adults; $30 Youth