Mars in Your Hand Star Party
What Meteorites Teach Us about the Red Planet
Saturday, February 21, 2026
5:00 – 7:30 PM
Entrance gate will close at 5 PM. No entrance will be admitted after 5 PM.
Join rangers and guest speaker, Sierra Ramsey, Ph.D. candidate at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, for an evening of planetary exploration and stargazing! Discover the secrets of Mars and learn how scientists study meteorites to uncover the planet’s volcanic history. Telescope viewing will be provided by the Las Vegas Astronomical Society, along with fun activities for kids.
What to Bring:
- 🧤 Warm clothes (the desert gets chilly!)
- 🔦 A red flashlight (to protect our night vision)
Reserve your spot below! Parking is limited and on a first-come, first served basis.
Sierra Ramsey is a Ph.D. candidate in the Geoscience Department at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She has been conducting planetary science research for the past ten years, working with samples from both the Moon and Mars. Her doctoral research focuses on martian geology. She uses martian meteorites and 2D and 3D analytical techniques to improve our understanding of how martian magmas are generated and erupted at or near the planet’s surface, and how magmatic and volcanic processes on planetary bodies evolve over time. Sierra earned her B.S. Honors in Geoscience from Western Carolina University and her M.S. in Geology from the University of Georgia.
Star Party Registration
Register for our Mars in Your Hand Star Party on Saturday, February 21, 2026.
Ready for More Stargazing in 2026? We Need Your Help!
Our 2025 Star Parties were a massive success, bringing over 1,200 people together under the beautiful dark skies of Red Rock Canyon. This year, we’re planning even more opportunities to connect our community with the cosmos, but we can’t do it without you!
We are launching a fundraising initiative to support our goal of achieving the Urban Night Sky Place designation from DarkSky International.
Your donation will directly fund:
- Expanded Programming including night hikes and more frequent star gazing parties
- Essential Supplies like lighting, informational materials, and equipment to run safe and engaging star parties
- Educational Presentations from expert speakers on astronomy, light pollution and more
- Scientific Data Collection in order to successfully complete our application
- Lighting retrofits to meet Dark Sky guidelines
Help us make 2026 our biggest and brightest year yet! Your support lights the way for conservation, education, and the protection of Red Rock Canyon’s breathtaking night sky.
Donate today and help us preserve the night sky experience at Red Rock Canyon!
Photo credit: Ben Robertson
Donate to the Project
Learn More
For details on the definition of an Urban Night Sky Place and eligibility criteria, visit the Dark Sky International website:
