Night Sky events in and around Ely

By Nancy Riedell
April is the month to celebrate Dark Sky events throughout Ely. Listed below are various events being held this month and throughout the summer.

Dark Sky Night at the Museum

This year marks the 65th Anniversary of the White Pine Public Museum. The museum will be hosting a special event each month in 2025. April’s special event is Dark Sky Night. View the night sky on the museum grounds with guest host, Stephen Bishop.

Viewers must bring their own night sky equipment:

• Telescopes
• Binoculars
• Cameras
  

Date: Friday, April 18, 2025
Time: 7:00 pm
Admission: $5
Museum Members: Free

For more information, contact the White Pine Public Museum at (775) 289-4710.

Nevada Northern Railway

White Pine County has one of the darkest skies in the lower 48 states which provides the setting for our wonderful night skies. As a result, the Nevada Northern Railway offers up the Nevada Northern Railway Star Train.

The Star Train pulls out of Ely during summer nights with the Dark Rangers from Great Basin National Park. They will guide riders to find interesting things up in the night sky during this trip.

Another train ride offered by Nevada Northern Railway is Sunset, Stars, and Champagne. Riders experience a marvelous western sunset and watch the stars come out, while enjoying a relaxing train throughout the Steptoe Valley. This gives riders a panoramic view of the sunset. Telescopes are not allowed on this train.
For more information on these train rides, contact the Railway at (775) 289 – 2085.

Great Basin National Park

Recognized by the International Dark Sky Association as an International Dark Sky Park in 2016, Great Basin National Park is home to some of the least polluted and clearest night skies in the contiguous United States. The International Dark Sky Association has recognized that Great Basin National Park provides distinguished and significant opportunities to experience dark nights.

On a clear, summer moonless night, thousands of stars, bright planets, star clusters, artificial satellites, meteors, the Andromeda Galaxy, and the spectacular arc of the Milky Way are visible by the naked eye from nearly anywhere in the park.

During the summer months, roughly between Memorial Day and Labor Day, Great Basin Astronomy Rangers lead programs at the Astronomy Amphitheater every Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Following the Astronomy Festival in September, programs take place on Saturdays until the Astronomy season ends in October.
For more information, contact the Great Basin Visitor Center at (775) 234-7331.