Griffith Observatory held a public star party on 17 October

A public star party took place at Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles on 17 October 2026. The event brought volunteer telescope groups and dozens of telescopes to the lawn for public observing and conversations about the night sky.

Public star party brought telescopes to the Observatory lawn

The Observatory’s official event page listed the Public Star Party for 17 October 2026 from 2pm to 9.45pm. It described a monthly programme organised with local telescope groups and said that dozens of telescopes would be available on the lawn.

The participating organisations named by the Observatory were the Los Angeles Astronomical Society, Los Angeles Sidewalk Astronomers and The Planetary Society. The programme was open to the public, with opportunities to view the Sun, Moon, visible planets and other celestial objects through different telescopes.

The official listing also explained that astronomers and telescope demonstrators might close individual viewing queues before the end of the programme. That arrangement allows the remaining observations to be completed by 9.45pm, while the telescope session remains separate from the building’s own closing time. The event details are recorded in the 17 October event listing.

The October star party connected the lawn with the Observatory’s science spaces

Griffith Observatory combines public observing, exhibition galleries and the Samuel Oschin Planetarium. The City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks owns and operates the facility as a public service, while the building provides visitors with views across Los Angeles and towards the Hollywood Sign.

The Observatory opened in 1935 and was renovated and expanded between 2002 and 2006. Its official history describes the building as a public observatory, planetarium and exhibition space, a combination that places the outdoor star party alongside its indoor programme rather than treating it as a separate attraction.

The October event therefore extended the Observatory’s central subject into the open air. Visitors could use the lawn for direct observation and then encounter displays and live presentations inside, including programmes in the planetarium. The building’s official history and visitor overview records those connected functions.

November star party follows the October programme

The Observatory’s event page lists another Public Star Party for 14 November 2026. That date is the next scheduled monthly session shown after the 17 October programme, again linking public telescope observing with the Observatory lawn.

The wider calendar also lists the facility’s regular exhibitions, planetarium shows and telescope observing. These recurring activities are separate from the dated October event, but they explain why the star party fits the site’s continuing public-science role.

Visiting Griffith Observatory: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The Public Star Party was scheduled at Griffith Observatory on 17 October 2026 from 2pm to 9.45pm. The next listed session is scheduled for 14 November 2026.
• The event took place on the Observatory lawn and was open to the public. It offered access to volunteer-led telescope observing rather than a private or invitation-only programme.
• The Observatory is at 2800 East Observatory Road, Los Angeles, California 90027. The site is in Griffith Park and looks towards Los Angeles and the Hollywood Sign.
• The grounds include lawns, terraces and outdoor viewing areas, while the building contains exhibition galleries and the Samuel Oschin Planetarium. Visitors should expect movement between outdoor and indoor spaces.

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Frequently asked questions about Griffith Observatory

When did the Public Star Party take place at Griffith Observatory?

The Public Star Party took place on 17 October 2026 on the Observatory lawn in Los Angeles.

What is Griffith Observatory?

It is a public observatory, planetarium and exhibition space that opened in 1935 and is operated by the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks.

Where is Griffith Observatory and how do you get there?

It is at 2800 East Observatory Road in Los Angeles, California, within Griffith Park and near the Hollywood Sign.