Friday Nights Celestial Lights and First Friday Stargazing
Friday Nights Celestial Lights and First Friday Stargazing are free public venues provided on the first Friday during the Fall and Spring school semesters.
Friday Nights Celestial Lights
Physics and Astronomy faculty and staff conduct a brief talk at 7:30 on the star party deck at the observatory about something topical in the world of astronomy. This is followed by an "Ask the Astronomer" segment open for the public to ask about anything in astronomy. A live sky presentation of what is viewable in the skies above San Antonio will also take place.
Presentations are intended to be understood by middle-school-aged children and older. Topic suggestions may be emailed to AstronomyEvents@utsa.edu. We cannot guarantee that requested topics will be covered and reserve the right to make the final decision.
Friday Nights Celestial Lights is followed by First Friday Stargazing (weather permitting).
First Friday Stargazing
First Friday Stargazing gives anyone free access to the night sky using university telescopes and teaching equipment.
Weather permitting, experienced astronomers will provide a handful of telescopes of varying designs, give training on how each operates, and point to various astronomical objects that may appear in the sky for that given time of the year. If you have a telescope and do not know how to operate it, feel free to bring it and get instructions on its use.
Location
The Curtis Vaughan Jr. Observatory is located on the 4th floor of the Flawn Science Building on the UTSA Main Campus. After exiting the elevator, look for the doors to the outside star party observation deck adjacent to the observatory. The public is encouraged to park in the nearby Ximenes Ave Garage.
Dates
- September 5, 2025
- October 3, 2025
- November 7, 2025
- December 5, 2025
Parking
The most convenient parking location is the Ximenes Ave Garage. There is an hourly fee to park in the garage.
Note: The outlying lots are dedicated to faculty/staff and students; special permits are required and parking in these areas without a permit may result in being ticketed by patrolling Business Auxiliary Services Office personnel.
More Info on Ximenes Garage View Ximenes Garage on MapImages and Photos
View images from the observatory telescope and photos from past events at the observatory.
Contact Us
Email us if you need additional information or have a comment.
