Sedona Star Gazing (Evening Sky Tours) · Village of Oak Creek
Professional astronomers run a laser-pointer tour of the constellations, then you take turns at large GPS telescopes in a dark field near the Village of Oak Creek. Pick it if you want the biggest telescope line-up and the most reviewed night out in Sedona.
This is the big one: close to 1,000 reviews and a crew of professional astronomers. You drive to an observing field off Indian Cliffs Road, near the Village of Oak Creek, which the operator puts at about 20 minutes from the center of Sedona. Chairs, blankets and parka jackets are waiting. The night opens with a laser-pointer overview of the constellations, then you rotate between large telescopes with GPS auto-positioning, and use wide-view binoculars from your chair between turns. The operator's own site promises a minimum of six celestial objects through the telescopes.
Two things shape the night. The first is the sky. Clouds cancel tours (you get a new date or a full refund), and a bright moon washes out faint galaxies. The operator itself recommends avoiding the four nights leading up to the full moon. The second is the eyepiece. What you see is small, sharp and mostly grey, not the color of a long-exposure photo. Saturn's rings and a star cluster look great; a galaxy is a soft smudge.
And the money. Viator lists it from $127 per person. The operator's website sells it for $117 per adult and $76 per child aged 12 and under, and direct bookings get a 100% refund if you cancel more than 12 hours ahead. On Viator you get free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Groups run up to 30 travelers, so this is a busy field, not a private session.
There is no pickup. Directions to the field near the Village of Oak Creek come by email after you book. Allow about 20 minutes from central Sedona.
Times change with the season: 7:30 or 9 pm from November to April, 8 or 9:30 pm in October, 9 or 10:30 pm in summer. Expect a walk of about 200 yards on dirt and grass.
An astronomer traces the constellations with a laser pointer so you know where everything sits before you look through a telescope.
Each telescope is aimed at a different object. You walk between them, look, ask questions and come back for another look. Some objects need a short step ladder.
Sit under a blanket with wide-view binoculars and scan the Milky Way while the others take their turn.
The tour ends at the meeting point.
★★★★★Our guides were extremely knowledgeable and friendly. They had about 8 large telescopes and there were 6 people per telescope. We all had plenty of time to view through the telescopes. We saw a binary star, star cluster, nebula and the moon. The highlight for me was viewing Saturn.
★★★★★After our initial booking was canceled due to weather, we were able to reschedule for the following night. [...] Wes and Jeff were super knowledgeable and they were able to translate their knowledge into graspable language for us laypersons. I took my 12-year-old daughter and she loved it.
★★★★★They have great telescopes and there were enough for the group that you didn’t have to wait. They had comfortable chairs, blankets, and binoculars as well.
★★★★★The telescopes were very high quality and the evening was planned out in a way that we were able to see lots of different things in the sky over only a little over an hour.
Read next:
No. You drive yourself to the observing field near the Village of Oak Creek, about 20 minutes from central Sedona. Directions arrive by email after booking.
It depends on the month. The operator lists 7:30 and 9 pm from November to April, 8 and 9:30 pm in October, 8:30 and 10 pm in September, and 9 and 10:30 pm from May to August.
Tours need clear skies. If the operator cancels for weather, you are offered a different date or a full refund.
Yes, by $10 per adult: $117 on the operator's site against $127 on Viator. Viator gives free cancellation up to 24 hours before; direct bookings need 12 hours' notice for a full refund.
Ready to book
Astronomers, big GPS telescopes, binoculars, chairs, blankets and parkas, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Small-Group Stargazing with TelescopesUp to twelve guests, large-aperture telescopes and live deep-sky views on a 4k screen. Drive to that night's site.★ 4.7 · 1 h 15 min · from $125
Night Sky Star Story & Galaxy TourConstellation myths and Sedona stories for two hours, from a chair and blanket. Naked eye only, no telescopes.★ 4.6 · 2 h 5 min · from $100
Sedona UFO & Stargazing Night TourMilitary night vision goggles and UFO stories at three spots in West Sedona. Not a telescope tour; no sighting promised.★ 4.4 · 1 h 45 min · from $175