Astronomy

The YMCA of the Rockies, Estes Park Center, is pleased to offer a rich astronomy program for our guests.  It is our intention to take full advantage of our dark, clear Rocky Mountain skies to provide enjoyable and educational opportunities for our guests.

On a weekly basis, we offer the following programs (please see our Activity Guide for details):

• Astronomy:  Look through our telescopes at a variety of nighttime celestial objects, including planets, double stars, star clusters, and distant galaxies.  Tour the stars with your session guides and learn to identify more than one dozen constellations and hear the myths associated with them.  This program is designed for ages 10+ and requires advance registration.
• Sun Gazing:  View a live video feed of the morning sun from one of our solar telescopes.  Enjoy completely risk-free observing of sunspots, solar prominences and filaments.  Learn about the different layers of the sun and the interesting things that can be observed with our special solar telescopes. All ages are welcome and no signup is required.
• Star Gazing:  Tour the nighttime stars with your session guides for a relaxing outdoor evening session.  Learn to identify more than one dozen constellations and hear the myths associated with them.  All ages are welcome and no signup is required.
• Sun Daze:  A mostly indoor activity to learn fun facts about our nearest star and participate in a group activity that explains the sun’s internal furnace. Learn about the nature of light and have a risk-free look at a full color spectrum of sunlight. Appropriate for children of all ages (adults are welcome, too!).  No signup is required.
• Star Stories:  Want to learn about the constellations, and still get to bed at night?  This indoor computer-simulated tour of the night skies may be for you!  Watch as our astronomy specialist guides the group around the nighttime skies and hear the legends and myths of various constellations.  Didn’t see a constellation you liked?  Then build your own during a group activity targeted at young astronomers!  No signup is required.
• It’s All Relative:  Join our astronomy specialist for a special group-participation demonstration of the sizes and locations of the planets in our solar system.  All ages are welcome.  No signup is required.

So you want to buy a family telescope?
Click here:  FIRST TELESCOPE OPTIONS