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Dark Ranger Telescope Tours
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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 not so eager.   Disassembling, transporting, and setting up these precision instruments, requires a lot of  extra time and muscle, -- 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 conservation government, public school, and science/conservation supporting, non-profit organizations (see Road Show Considerations below)!

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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 2-3 Dark Ranger ($420 each). We seldom  agree to 1-Dark Ranger gigs  because our telescopes  are so large and heavy they require team lifting and late night driving is always better with 2 .

- 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 (IRS rate)

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
  A 50%  deposit is required at time of booking. In the event of cancellation initiated by the host entity, only a maximum of   42% of deposit is refundable.

So as to minimize credit card transaction fees that might be incurred  in the event of a cancellation Dark Ranger Telescope Tours prefers NOT to collect the balance of payment until the day following your event.


Read more about our Road Show Cancellation Policy at the bottom of this page.

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 (IRS rate)


  A 50%  deposit is required at time of booking. In the event of cancellation initiated by the host entity, only a maximum of   42% of deposit is refundable.

So as to minimize credit card transaction fees that might be incurred  in the event of a cancellation Dark Ranger Telescope Tours prefers NOT to collect the balance of payment until the day following your event.


Read more about our Road Show Cancellation Policy at the bottom of this page.
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 promotion

Road Show Considerations

  • We  offer 42% discounts (inquire about this  coupon code when entering credit card info) for the following organizations:
    • Science-supporting Non-profits
    • Public Schools / Scouting
    • Conservation Government Organizations

  • 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 (<14 days notice) we charge an extra $100 (most of us have day jobs that we can't easily get away from).

  • For distances closer to from Dark Ranger Observatory: we prefer to drive so that we can bring our own telescopes

  • For long distance travel we are happy to fly anywhere, though 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).

  • 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 USA. Many of them have become trusted colleagues and we will minimize travel costs by supplementing our Utah staff with them.

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Zaphod, the double-headed telescope, is Kevin "The Dark Ranger" Poe's "little" travel scope. It 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)

  • Location including specifics regarding venue and ideally a dark-sky site

  • Why your organization / location is good place for astronomy outreach / night sky advocacy.

And Yes, We can 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.
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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

 Because financial institutions are allowed to do volume based pricing, they put small businesses at a disadvantage. This mean we only get 94% of the money you see on your bank statement. We also have to pay an additional 1.9% for our transaction fees.

If guest(s) cancels more than 14 days in advance 92% of the deposit is refunded.  Obviously we can't refund more money than we receive, so  a 92% refund of the deposit is where we barely break even, retaining 0.1% of your money. If any additional payments were made to Dark Ranger Telescope Tours that amount will also be refund at 92%.

Rescheduling, or store credit is always an option,  but there can be no  refunds after the 14-day refund window closes.  

If Dark Ranger Telescope Tours cancels for reasons other than cloudy sky we will provide 100% refund,  and by way of apology, we will also provide a 11% discount for rescheduling at a later date.


WEATHER CANCELLATIONS:
Few places in North America have as many clear nights as our  Dark Ranger Observatory -- 300 clear nights per year. Therefore Road Shows can create an opportunity cost  for us when we send our Dark Rangers to locations where the chance of clear sky might be less than if they stayed home.

We can only offer a 58% refund  for Road Show Telescope Tours when the sky is too cloudy to use telescopes. Your guests will be entertained by a live multimedia presentation as a substitute for not being able to use the telescopes. However, if a mutual decision to cancel happens before we have packed up telescopes and departed for your venue,  we will provide an 85% refund.

You haven't booked a telescope tour yet?

Maybe our TripAdvisor reviews will convince you!


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According to TripAdvisor We Are Among the Top-Ranked Telescope Experiences on Earth.
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