Entry No. 83 — the Des Moines file — filed under: after-dark

Ashton Observatory Public Saturday Nights

Run by the Des Moines Astronomical Society inside a dark-sky county park northeast of the metro, Ashton opens for free public stargazing every Saturday evening from April through October. Away from city light, the sky is dramatically darker than anything you'll see downtown, and on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays there's a classroom program before viewing. Telescopes and volunteers are on hand to help you find deep-sky objects.

The move: Drive out to the dark-sky park for the 8 p.m. opening, lie back under a genuinely starry sky, and let the society's volunteers aim their telescopes at galaxies and nebulae for you.

📍 Before you go Free; Saturday public nights begin 8 p.m., April-October. Clear skies dependent, so confirm before driving out; bring bug spray and a red flashlight to preserve night vision.

• 📍 Baxter (Jasper County)
• 💸 $
• ⚡ Low-key
• 🌗 Outdoors

Where: Ashton Wildwood County Park, Jasper County, IA

Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.

⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Proof: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4

last checked: 2026-06-23