Nightfall Star Party & Imaging Conference

When & Where

November 6 – 8, 2026
Palm Canyon Hotel & RV Resort
221 Palm Canyon Dr.
Borrego Springs, CA 92004
Website
See it on Google Maps

Reservations

TicketSpice is handling reserverations and workshop registrations again for 2026. Click the button to start the registration process (for hotel rooms, RV spaces, and Premium Speaker).

Nightfall 2026 Program

The program for Nightfall 2026 is in the works. Click here for the latest updates.

Star Party Admission

Nightfall is a different kind of star party. There is no separate admission fee. To attend, simply use the button above to make your reservation. Once there, in addition to reserving lodging, you may register for the premium workshop and purchase RAS/Nightfall gear! The RAS adds a nominal charge for each night of your hotel or RV stay, which helps us offset our expenses. Other than that, there is no separate fee to attend the star party. Once TicketSpice confirms your reservation, you are confirmed to attend Nightfall.

If you want to attend just for the day to look around, no problem—show up and do just that! Stay into the night* to get spectacular views of the planets, nebulae, star clusters and galaxies—all for free! Please keep in mind that this is a hotel and RV resort. You are not permitted to stay over night unless you have made a reservation with the hotel and paid for a room or RV space.

The only fees associated with Nightfall are for lodging (hotel room or RV space) and the premium workshops.

Reservations & Lodging

We’re using TicketSpice once again for star party and imaging conference reservations. Please see the “Reservations” section above.

Hotel rooms for Nightfall go quickly. We highly recommend that you reserve your accommodations prior to June or July, if not sooner.

Lodging options include: Staying in a hotel room or RV space at the Palm Canyon Hotel & RV Resort, staying at a nearby hotel or RV park in the town of Borrego Springs, camping in the Borrego Springs Desert State Park or attending just for the day. If staying on-site, all lodging and/or RV camping fees are the responsibility of the attendee and are paid through the TicketSpice website. If you decide to attend Nightfall but wish to lodge elsewhere, you may still setup your equipment in designated areas at Nightfall. Its security is your responsibility as the RAS, the Palm Canyon Hotel, and Highway West Vacations take no responsibility for any damage or theft of any personal equipment.

We encourage you to stay for 2 nights (Friday and Saturday nights) to get the full Nightfall experience. But you may stay for longer. Additional night options are shown on the TicketSpice website. Or, as mentioned above, you can just stop by for the day and into the night for no fee.* Many people make Nightfall an annual vacation and stay from Wednesday through Sunday or even until Monday. Nightfall typically offers sunny autumn days with mild temperatures—great for exploring the surrounding Anza-Borrego Desert State Park or just hanging out at the hotel’s pools and hot tubs.

Tent Camping

Tent camping is permitted in the RV spaces. You must reserve an RV space to setup a tent. The RV spaces are level, hard-packed dirt/sand. As with RV camping, a power outlet and water spigot are available to you. Be sure to bring an outlet adapter if you plan to use electricity at your campsite. It’s also a good idea to bring an outdoor extension cord and a surge-protected power strip. Do not use stakes to secure your tent as the septic tanks are only a few inches below ground level!

Attending Just for the Day (or part of the night)

If you can’t or don’t want to book a room or RV space at the Palm Canyon Hotel & RV Resort, you are still welcome to stop in for the day, and to stick around into the night to look through some telescopes. We simply ask that you:

• Be careful and courteous with your vehicle’s headlights if arriving or departing at night.
• Visit the observing area just south of the main hotel building to look through telescopes (Saturday night is the best opportunity). Please avoid the imaging zone as there are cables to trip over, and people set up in this area are attempting to image and will be preoccupied with activities associated with that.
• Do not park in parking spaces meant for hotel guests. Park in the parking spaces along the north end of the resort that are parallel to Palm Canyon Drive (S22).
• Do not stay overnight by sleeping in your car or RV in the parking lot or by parking in an RV space for which you did not pay.

Information Packets & Communication

Since your room or RV space reservation is your Nightfall “registration,” the Riverside Astronomical Society will not send you any emails, snail mail, or any other communications regarding your reservation at the Resort. Refer to the “Reservations” information above for details on how to reserve your room or RV spot for Nightfall.

This website will be updated with information regarding workshops and presentations as it becomes available, so be sure to check the Workshops page often, especially as the Star Party dates get closer.

Setting Up Your Astronomy Equipment

The Palm Canyon Hotel & RV Resort has many amenities and one of them is the amount of space! There is plenty of room for you to set up your telescope equipment in your RV space (if you reserved one) or in one of the common areas. Once set up, please be diligent about securing your equipment from weather and theft. Although we’ve never had a problem with theft at Nightfall, a small, easily-swiped piece of equipment left in plain view may be tempting to an unsavory passerby. It’s best to cover your scope during the day and to move smaller items into your tent, RV, car, or hotel room when they’re not in use. Get to know your neighbors and ask if they’re willing to keep on eye on your things when you have to step away. Securing or stowing your equipment and a good “neighborhood watch” policy are the best defenses against theft.

Do not set up telescope equipment in the parking areas that are not specifically designated for telescopes. They should only be set up in the observing area (south of the main hotel building), the imaging zone (on the east end of the property), or in your reserved RV space.

Dining

The Palm Canyon Hotel has a restaurant and bar on-site! Other dining arrangements include bringing your own food and/or visiting one of the many Borrego Springs dining establishments.

Activities & What to Expect

Nightfall is held in autumn each year (typically around late October or early November) on a Thursday, Friday, Saturday and ending on Sunday. Some attendees make their reservations for as early as Monday or Tuesday and start arriving on those days. More attendees arrive throughout the week, especially on Thursday when the rooms and RV spaces begin to fill up. On Friday we have a late-afternoon welcome reception in the picnic area. On both Friday and Saturday, we host a variety of free presentations and activities. These have included a hosted sky tour, an ice cream social, observing and observing workshops, a swap meet, a scorpion hunt (viewing only, of course), and other activities to keep everyone involved and entertained!

The Riverside Astronomical Society hosts a premium workshop on astro-imaging during the day on Saturday. There are also several free workshops and presentations throughout Friday and Saturday. Check the workshops page frequently for updated information on presenters and topics.

Other than that, feel free to relax at the pools, hike a trail in the state park, drive around to see Ricardo Breceda’s amazing metal sculptures, or just sleep in after a long night of imaging or observing.

Swap Meet

On Saturday morning, from 8-10AM, there is a swap meet where you can sell your used astronomy gear and make a couple bucks! Maybe it’s time to sell that eyepiece you never use, those books and charts you swore you were going to get around to some day, and that red flashlight that was number 36 in your collection. The Swap Meet is held in the picnic/BBQ area on the west end of the property. The swap meet may be cancelled due to weather and/or interest. Please check the program schedule when checking in.

Weather

In this day and age, we still can’t predict the weather with much accuracy for more than a few days at a time! Generally speaking, the weather at Nightfall is quite favorable with daytime highs anywhere from the 70s to 90s and clear skies. Wind does occasionally kick up but usually only during the day. The weather does vary from year to year though, of course. We like to think that Nightfall is a great opportunity to have fun with family, friends, and fellow astronomers regardless of the weather. And if the weather turns out to be good, even better!

Be sure to check the Clear Sky Chart and weather forecasting sources such as the National Weather Service and Weather Underground for forecasts within a week or so of the star party.