National Public Observatory
Stars-N-Parks is a public outreach astronomy program, sponsored by the non-profit membership organization National Public Observatory and held in conjunction with New Mexico State Parks. Twice a month a Stars-N-Parks program is held at a state park within a 100-mile radius of Las Cruces, New Mexico. The program begins with a guided night sky tour that orients listeners to the Earth’s position in the Solar System and highlights the major stars, constellations and their lore. After the tour, attendees view celestial objects such as planets, galaxies and clusters through telescopes. Stars-N-Parks has been a successful, well-attended program since its inception in the fall of 2001, with new parks added to the schedule each year.