Our experiences are designed to make astronomy accessible and fun. Whether you’re looking for a guided stargazing tour, a private adventure in the remotest corners of West Texas, or a chance to capture the Milky Way with your own camera, we have something for every explorer of the night.
Big Bend After Dark Astro-Tourism Offerings 2026/2027 Season
For booking and more information:
Tres Morris
Dark Sky Tour Guide
806-486-3990
The Deep Sky Experience
10 spots available per night.
$100 per adult
$50 ages 6-12
$50 non refundable deposit per booking
We can bring our mobile observatory to any Air BnB, rental, or campsite for a $100 remote setup fee.
TOUR DESCRIPTION:
Starts around the blue hour each night (8:00PM)
Late night sessions available. Tours typically run 2.5-3 hrs
An intimate evening under the night sky that blends observational and electronic assisted astronomy. Designed for curious minds of all ages.
Start the night with a laser-guided tour and learn how to navigate the night sky like a pro. Locate current constellations, asterisms, planets, and deep-sky objects including different star clusters, nebulae and galaxies. We then use a large dobsonian telescopes to view different night sky objects. We have multiple telescopes to look through so you are able to enjoy plenty of time at the eyepiece!
The second half brings deep-sky astrophotography to life in real time.
Using astro cameras and smart telescopes, we image deep sky objects together. Here you will learn about deep space astrophotography and how to operate a remote telescope by yourself! Photography reveals color and detail invisible to the naked eye through the telescope. During this time you will get a hands-on approach into modern deep-sky astrophotography and learn all about the objects that are located inside and outside of the milky way.
Remote Dark Sky Adventure: Night Sky & Telescope Tour
Experience the unmatched, crystal-clear night skies of the Big Bend region from exclusive remote locations. Depart before sunset to witness the sun set over the desert landscape, then transition into a deep-sky exploration. This immersive journey offers an intimate, front-row seat to the Milky Way. We have private spots available or can set up in the State or National Parks.
What’s Included
4 Hour Guided Experience: We load up and leave before sunset to take advantage of the best views before it gets dark.
Laser-Guided Sky Tour: Learn to navigate the night sky like a pro using it like a compass and calendar. Identify stars, asterisms, major constellations, planets, and star clusters with direct, hands-on instruction.
Deep-Sky Observation: View distant reflection and emission nebulae, galaxies, and star clusters through a powerful Dobsonian telescope.
Astrophotography Keepsakes: Smartphone adapters are provided for the telescope so you can capture photos directly through the lens, plus complimentary night-sky portraits taken by your guide.
Choose your location: Select from private stargazing spots from around the region, Big Bend National Park, or Big Bend Ranch State Park.
Pricing & Details
Cost: $500 total (includes up to 3 guests)
Deposit: $50 non-refundable deposit
Capacity: Intimate group size (up to 3 people) for maximum telescope time and personalized
Big Bend Landscape & Milky Way Photography Tours
Unlock the landscape and dark sky paradise of Big Bend with a local expert photographer who guides you to all the best spots. Whether you're aiming to capture night photography or simply want to reach the park's most photogenic vistas, every trip is tailored to your creative vision and skill level.
What’s Included:
Expert Local Guidance: Seamless navigation to the best scenery, iconic vistas, hidden desert gems, and prime dark-sky locations.
Flexible Exploration: Customized itineraries featuring scenic driving tours and/or guided night sky hikes.
In-Field Photography Support
Local Transportation to and from shooting locations
Rates & Booking
Price: starts @ $500 per day, discounts on multiple days
Milky Way and Night Sky Portraits
You came for the dark skies and now you can take a piece of them home! This session pairs a blue hour portrait with the Milky Way or starry sky overhead, captured later that night and blended into one composite shot. Final composite images delivered digitally.
(Portrait and foregrounds are captured during the blue hour when a small amount of blue light is still scattered in the atmosphere. This provides for a nice clean portrait where everyone is in focus without any motion blur. After Dark, we capture the Milky Way or night sky to blend with the blue hour portrait.)
Cloudy nights!? No problem! We can still capture the foreground and portrait part of the workflow and capture the night sky portion later.
Perfect for couples, families, group portraits, or anyone who wants a piece of the night sky to keep forever. We can even capture events like weddings and birthday parties. Portraits can also be added on to other experiences.
Rates & Booking
Mini and Full sessions available
Mini sessions start @ $250
Private On-Demand Milky Way & Night Sky Photography Lessons
Transform your night sky photography from hit-or-miss test shots into breathtaking, wall-worthy astrophotography. Whether you are holding a camera for the first time under the stars or looking to master advanced focus stacking and tracker setups, these fully customized, private 1-on-1 field lessons bring expert instruction directly to you, on your schedule. Here you will leave with a solid foundation to go capture the night sky anywhere in the world!
Landscape Astrophotography 101
Learn how astrophotographers plan, capture, and create breathtaking nightscape images
Includes classroom and field instruction
Transportation to and from shooting locations
What Makes This Experience Unique
100% Customized Itinerary: Every session is built around your specific goals, camera gear, and experience level.
On-Demand Scheduling: Why spend thousands of dollars on a workshop when you can book a private lesson for a fraction of the cost? On your time.
1-on-1 Private Attention: Get real-time feedback on every shot. Stop guessing settings in the dark and master your camera with dedicated guidance right at your side.
Daily rate is $500, discounts on multiple days
