We'll travel anywhere in the world if invited to promote astronomy literacy and dark sky advocacy!  In fact, if you have the transportation, Ask about our off-world travel Discounts.

Yes! We CAN Come To You!

The Dark Rangers LOVE to travel but our BIG telescopes are never so eager.   To disassemble and secure these precision instruments so they can be transported safely, requires a lot of  extra time on our part -- an expense that we must pass on to you the consumer.  Finally, unlike our telescopes, the farther we travel, the more  food and accommodations we require. See extra costs in travel distance-based add-ons.

Review your options below and if you decide it's easier and/or less expensive for us to come to you, WE WILL!

NOTE: We offer 42% discounts to government, educational, and science-supporting, non-profit organizations (see Road Show Considerations below)!

1-Night "Road Show": Private Event

Whether you're planning a wedding reception, company retreat, or a fundraiser, we will thrill your guests with the beauty of astronomy and broaden  their perspectives with an enhanced understanding of the Universe.

- 2-6 Telescopes with 1 Dark Ranger ($420 each) per 2 telescopes (minimum of 2 if we are driving far).

- Meals and Lodging  expenses, per Dark Ranger, as measured from Dark Ranger Observatory:
                                                         90 - 200 miles =      $124
                                        200 - 400 miles = $168
                                                                >      400 miles = $168 +  Airfare     (TBD after booking)

- Mileage (@ $0.42 / RT mile)
 When flying this is $150 for St. George, UT (SGU)

Where We Will Provide:

Your private guests will be treated to a 2-3 hr. evening featuring:

• Optional live multimedia show  specifically tailored to your event/organization. Review choices here.
  
  
• Laser Constellation Tour
  
  
• Expert and engaging telescope operator(s) with BIG scopes
  

   42% refundable deposit required at time of booking

3-Day/Night  "Road Show" Public Event

Where We Will Provide:

Kevin "The Dark Ranger" Poe pioneered the growing tradition of the day & night Astronomy / Night Sky Festivals during the 14 years he led  Bryce Canyon National Park's astronomers.  Now the Dark Rangers support several such annual events around the country.      We  can help  kick-off  one of these  popular festivals  in your community or  enhance  what you have already started.         

- 2-6 Dark Ranger at $840 each, with telescopes
 (3 days & nights for the price of 2!)
         
- Meals and Lodging  expenses, per Dark Ranger, as measured from Dark Ranger Observatory:
                                                                    0 - 500 miles =  $378
                                500 - 1000 miles = $564
                                                              >      1000 miles = $294 + Airfare (TBD after booking)

- Mileage (@ $0.50 / RT mile, or $1.00 per 1-way mile) When flying this is $159 for St. George, UT (SGU)

   42% refundable deposit required at time of booking

Your public attendees will have access to 3 days and 3 nights where you can chose among the following activities (you will be prompted via a questionnaire after booking):

Night

• Sensational multimedia shows (day and/or night) specifically tailored to your event/organization
• Expert and engaging telescope operator(s) with BIG scopes
• Laser Constellation Tours

Day

• Model rocketry workshop(s): build and launch solid fuel rockets up to 2000 ft.
  NOTE: If you request this activity and help coordinate it (permissions & advertising) we will offer a $200 discount.
  

• Planet Walk: 1-mile guided hikes  on a portable  1:10 Billion Scale model of the Solar System
• Stomp Rockets Craft Activity:   make air powered rockets that fly 100 ft!
• Solar viewing: safely study our Sun thru filtered telescopes
• Astronomy Games:  

And More

• Special event planning assistance (ICS trained and experienced)
• Training and management of event staff, volunteers and/or amateur telescope operators

• Advertising assistance including: graphic design and social media assistance

Road Show Considerations

• We  offer 42% discounts (enter coupon code EDGOVNON42% when entering credit card info) for the following organizations:
  • Science-supporting Non-profits
  • Educational
  • Government
    
    
• We can also offer a $400 discount if you will help us coordinate  2-3  model rocket building workshops (2-3 hrs long). Though we keep our prices low ($10-$30 per kit), this activity is a good revenue generator for us and will be very popular with your  event attendees of all ages.
  
  
• For "short notice" requests (<42 days notice) we charge an extra 42% on our staffing rates (most of us have day jobs that we can't easily get away from).


• For distances closer to Tropic, Utah, we prefer to drive so that we can bring our own telescopes - unless you can supply us with high-quality and functional telescopes upon arrival.
  
  
• For long distance travel we are happy to fly anywhere, though again you'll either need to provide high-quality telescopes upon our arrival or pay over-sized luggage rates for our telescopes (Express Shipping with high-$ insurance is another option).
  
  
• When it comes to meals & lodging, keep in mind that we are happy to "couch-surf" and love home-cooked meals. We'll even camp as long as we can get free WiFi or at least 3G Verizon phone service. Cost reductions negotiated accordingly.
  
  
• We might be able to further reduce our travel expenses if there's local/regional Dark Ranger talent nearby. Over the years, we have trained and sworn-in (literally), 150+ Dark Rangers around the world. Many of them have become trusted colleagues and we will minimize travel costs by supplementing our Utah staff with them.
  
  

Zaphod, the double-headed telescope, is Kevin "The Dark Ranger's" Poe's "little" travel scope. It's has wowed people from the remote chasms of the Colorado River to the urban canyons of Philadelphia.

Tell us more...

At some point, either before or after booking, please email us at darkrangertelescopetours@gmail.com and include in your invitation the following information:

• Organization name and mission
  (we offer a 42% discount  for science-supporting non-profit, educational, or government entities)
  
  
• Contact person
  
  
• Location including specifics regarding venue and ideally a dark-sky site
  
  
• Possible dates
  
  
• Expected attendance
   
• Amount of other telescope operators with public astronomy experience working your event.
  
  
• Why your organization / location is good place for astronomy outreach / night sky advocacy.

And Yes, We also teach Astronomy while "on the road"

We can also help prepare your organization and staff for hosting such events with a Dark Ranger Workshop which includes interactive, hands-on instructional sessions including: public speaking, telescope operation, basic astronomy and/or scotiobiology, navigating the night sky, handling hecklers, and MS Powerpoint skills.

Kevin "The Dark Ranger" Poe teaching 1-week of Public Speaking for Tour Guides for the American Battle Monuments Commission in Nancy, France

Example Training Video

"Road Show" Tour Cancellation Policy

- While cloudy sky might result in a weather related cancellation we cannot always offer full refunds for Road Show Telescope Tours. Due  to the logistics and opportunity costs involved with sending Dark Rangers  and telescope to your location we offer two alternatives for our hosting entity to choose from, in the event it's too cloudy for telescopes: 

1) In addition to the live multimedia presentation, we will also provide a fun alternative activity to fill the time slot, and thus no refund.

2) We cancel entirely and keep the 42% deposit, offering only a 58% refund to the hosting entity.

- If cancellation (for reasons other than cloudy sky) is initiated by Dark Ranger Telescope Tours, we will provide 100% refund, excepting airfare costs, (see below) and a 42% discount for rescheduling at a later date.

- If host entity cancels prior to 14 days before the event, a full 100% refund will be provided, minus non-refundable overnight stays.

- If host entity cancels less than 14 days before the event,  the 42% deposit will be kept by Dark Ranger Telescope Tours with no additional payment expected.

- Since we require that the hosting entity book our airfare, refunding the cost of airfare, in the event of a cancellation, is something the hosting entity must work out with airline(s).  Refundable tickets are recommended.