Stargazing At Capitol Reef: A Dark Sky Guide

Wayne County has very little of what creates light pollution: few people, few towns, and a lot of open country between them. Capitol Reef National Park is certified as an International Dark Sky Park, and Torrey, the nearest town, holds its own certification as an International Dark Sky Community, meaning its outdoor lighting is deliberately managed. Sitting at roughly 7,000 feet also helps: there is less atmosphere and usually less moisture between you and the stars.

From roughly late spring through early autumn, the bright core of the Milky Way arches overhead and is the main event. From late autumn through winter, the core sets, but the nights get much longer and the air gets drier and steadier. Orion, the Pleiades, and the Andromeda Galaxy take over, and true darkness begins in the early evening instead of near midnight.

*What the sky does from inside a dome, visualised. The glass is one curved wall rather than a roof, so this is the view from the bed and not overhead. Planned for 2027.

Give your eyes twenty to thirty minutes to adapt, and keep white light off, because a red headlamp preserves your night vision. Dress for temperatures well below what the daytime suggests, especially at elevation. Bring a tripod if you want photographs; a wide lens, a high ISO, and a shutter of several seconds is enough to record far more than your eye can see.