Booking choice: The flagship telescope tour, from $127 per person. Check dates Tour details
Guests on Sedona's night tours keep mentioning how many stars they could see. That is partly down to a choice the town made: to keep its outdoor lighting low and shielded.
Here is how Sedona earned its dark-sky status and how the tours make the most of it.
The quick answer
In 2014 the International Dark-Sky Association (now DarkSky International) named Sedona the world's eighth International Dark Sky Community. Outdoor lights are fully shielded and warmer in colour. The telescope tours still set up outside the centre, on dark private or national forest sites.
Is Sedona a Dark Sky Community?
Yes: in 2014 Sedona became the world's eighth International Dark Sky Community.
The designation came from the International Dark-Sky Association, now called DarkSky International.
See what a dark sky really looks like: astronomers and telescopes on the flagship tour.
Check dates for the flagship telescope tourWhat do the lighting rules do?
They keep outdoor lights fully shielded and aimed down, with warmer colours that cause less sky glow.
Visit Sedona explains that shielded, downward lighting and warmer colour temperatures reduce sky glow. The result is a darker sky over a busy town.
Why do the tours still drive out of town?
The telescope tours set up on dark sites outside the centre rather than in town.
The flagship operator sets up on private property in the Village of Oak Creek area, about a 20-minute ride from central Sedona. The small-group tour uses several dark sites within a half-hour drive, on national forest land under a seasonal permit or on private ranches.
Want a dark site away from town? The small-group tour uses several, within a half-hour drive.
Explore the small-group telescope tour Tour detailsCan you see the Milky Way from Sedona?
Yes, on clear nights without a bright moon; guests on several tours describe it.
Moonlight is the main enemy. The flagship operator advises avoiding the 4 nights before the full moon for a star-filled sky.
Do I need a tour to stargaze in Sedona?
No, the sky is free; a tour adds telescopes, an astronomer, a dark site and warm kit.
On your own you will see plenty with the naked eye away from lights. A tour lets you see planets, star clusters and galaxies magnified, and tells you what you are looking at.
Want the telescopes and the stories? Check dates for the flagship tour.
Check dates for the flagship telescope tourHow high is Sedona?
About 4,500 feet above sea level, according to Visit Sedona.
Guests on several tours say the nights get cold, so dress in layers.
Frequently asked questions
When did Sedona become a Dark Sky Community?
In 2014, as the world's eighth International Dark Sky Community.
Who gives Dark Sky Community status?
DarkSky International, formerly the International Dark-Sky Association.
Where do the tours stargaze near Sedona?
Outside the centre: the tours use private land and national forest sites, such as the flagship's site in the Village of Oak Creek area.
Ready to book
Choose your night
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Sedona Stargazing Tour
- Constellation overview with a laser pointer
- Turns at large GPS auto-positioning telescopes: planets, galaxies, nebulas, star clusters
- Wide-view binoculars and a chair between turns
Small-Group Stargazing with Telescopes
- Large-aperture telescopes with premium eyepieces
- Live views of deep space on a 4k monitor
- Groups of up to twelve
Night Sky Star Story & Galaxy Tour
- Constellation stories with a laser pointer and planisphere
- Big-screen constellation images and hands-on visuals
- Chairs and blankets
