Take a picture like this at Sequoia and Kings Canyon’s Dark Sky Festival

SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK, Calif. ( KSEE/KGPE ) – The 11th annual Dark Sky festival “under the stunning night skies of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks” is getting ready to dazzle visitors this weekend.

According to the Sequoia Parks Conservancy , the free three-day event will feature dozens of star-themed activities across the two parks. The conservancy says one of the highlights of the festival is the star parties where local astronomers and park staff will share their knowledge of the cosmos.

“Under the stunning night skies of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, festival-goers can gaze through telescopes at distant galaxies, sparkling star clusters, and even planets like Jupiter and Saturn,” an online post by the conservancy reads.

Two two-hour star parties will be hosted on Saturday night:

• The Wuksachi Star Party in Sequoia National Park will be hosted by the Kern Astronomical Society at Wuksachi Lodge from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.
• The Big Stump Star Party in Kings County National Park will be hosted by the Central Valley Astronomers at Big Stump Picnic Area from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.

In addition to Saturday’s star parties, some notable events the weekend will feature include:

• Amateur astronomy and astrophotography at Sequoia’s Lodgepole Amphitheater on Friday from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m.
• Night hike through the giant sequoias of Grant Grove on Friday from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Paint a Galaxy at Sequoia’s Beetle Rock Center on Sunday from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Some of the events require reservations. Those interested in attending can visit the Sequoia Parks Conservancy online for registration details and a full list of events.

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