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2025 Upper Peninsula Dark Sky Festival

April 24 @ 3:00 pm - April 26 @ 11:30 pm EDT

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Limit: 50 tickets
Last day to purchase tickets: April 20th

The Keweenaw Mountain Lodge, the headquarters for the Keweenaw Dark Sky Park, is hosting its third annual event around International Dark Sky Week: The Upper Peninsula Dark Sky Festival. DarkSky International (formerly known as, the International Dark-Sky Association) encourages people worldwide to discover the night during International Dark Sky Week. This annual week-long event aims to raise awareness about the negative impacts of light pollution, the solutions that exist and simultaneously celebrate the night.

The 2025 event will be held over April 24th, 25th, and 26th, and provides three days of learning. Events and workshops will be hosted at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge, headquarters for the Keweenaw Dark Sky Park.

The event is intended for all ages of dark sky enthusiasts. The evening event on Thursday allows guests to check into their accommodations, have a meal and then take in the presentation. Friday and Saturday’s events in the afternoon allow guests to have a morning adventure and an afternoon and evening of learning. 

Schedule

Below is the schedule for the festival (last updated April 7, 2025):

Thursday, April 24th

Friday, April 25th

  • 9:00am: Open Skies Tour (limited to 24 people – call (906) 289-4403 ext 4 to sign up) [ sponsored by Visit Keweenaw ]
  • 11:30am: Rustic and Worldly Lunch (included in your festival ticket purchase)
  • 1:00pm: Illuminating Opportunities: Dark Sky Programming in the Tourism, Recreation, and Leisure Industry (Jamie Westfall, Park Manager of The Headlands Dark Sky Park)
  • 3:30pm: Postcards from the Universe: 2024-2025 via NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day (Robert Nemiroff, Co-creator of Astronomy Picture of the Day, Astrophysicist and Professor of Physics at Michigan Technological University)
  • 8:00pm: Deep Sky Astrophotography: From First Shot to Final Masterpiece  (Ogetay Kayali, Deep Space Photographer and Michigan Technological University Graduate Student)
  • Evening: Stargazing

Saturday, April 26th

  • 9:30am: Ecology Tour with Tom Oliver (limited to 15 people – please call 906-289-4403 ext 4 to sign up)
  • 11:30am: Rustic and Worldly Lunch (included in your festival ticket purchase)
  • 1:00pm: Navigating the Impact of Light Pollution on Migratory Songbirds and Pathways to Solutions (Jared Wolfe, Ornithologist and Assistant Professor at Michigan Technological University)
  • 3:30pm: Understanding the Magnetosphere and Experiencing Solar Max! (MaryBeth Kiczenski, Adventurer / Photographer / Northern Lights Chaser)
  • 8:00pm: Discover the Sun (Dave Falkner, NASA Solar System Ambassador)
  • Evening: Stargazing

Location

The festival will be held at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge, the headquarters of the Keweenaw Dark Sky Park.

Keweenaw Mountain Lodge
14252 US Hwy 41
Copper Harbor, Michigan 49918

Price

Tickets for the festival are $250 / person + tax. Tickets include admission to all presentations and the lunch on Friday and Saturday.  A maximum of 50 tickets will be sold. The last day to purchase tickets is April 20, 2025.

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Presentation Topics and Speaker Bios

Below is the list of speakers, with their bios and presentation topics. The list is sorted by last name of the speaker.

Dave Falkner
NASA Solar System Ambassador

Presentation Topic: Discover the Sun

The Northern Lights have been plentiful and spectacular over the past year. While most people know the aurora borealis occurs when the solar wind interacts with Earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere, how much do they know about the source of the solar wind, namely, our nearest star, the Sun? In his presentation, Dave will talk about how ancient astronomers perceived the Sun. He will walk through astronomical history showing how astronomers gradually figured out what the Sun was and the source of its energy. Dave will then talk about how more recent observations of the Sun have revealed its structure, its surface features, and the sources of the solar wind. Dave will also talk about the mysteries the Sun still holds and what we are doing today to unravel them. Finally, Dave will talk about the fate of the Sun as it enters the second half of its lifetime.

About Dave

Dave Falkner is a retired Naval officer and a lifelong amateur astronomer. He has two books published (one in 2nd edition) and has taught Introduction to Astronomy at the college level. He has served on the board of the Minnesota Astronomical Society and does extensive outreach. He enjoys showing the public the wonders of the universe through his telescope. Dave is a member
of the Astronomy in Chile Education Ambassador Program (ACEAP) as well as a NASA Solar System Ambassador. He and his wife, Kathy, have 3 adult children and reside in Blaine, Minnesota.

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Amber Harrison
Dark Sky Places Program Manager at DarkSky International

Presentation Topic: Opening Remarks and Status of Dark Sky Places Program

Amber will join us virtually to discuss the status of the DarkSky International’s places program.

About Amber

Amber is responsible for the Dark Sky Places Program at DarkSky International. Prior to joining DarkSky International, she was a park ranger and interpreter at Big Bend Ranch State Park — the largest, most remote, and darkest park in Texas. She completed successful applications to the International Dark Sky Places program for public lands in the Big Bend of West Texas and is active in dark sky advocacy throughout the region.  Her focus on dark sky conservation developed during her time as a Ranger, where she incorporated dark sky education in her programming and community engagement to raise awareness about the importance of natural dark skies on the natural world and the human experience.

Amber grew up in Wichita, Kansas, where she spent most of her time riding and caring for horses. She received her undergraduate and master’s degrees in Anthropology with a focus on bioarchaeology at Wichita State University.

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Ogetay Kayali
Deep Space Photographer and Michigan Technological University Graduate Student

Presentation Topic: Deep Sky Astrophotography: From First Shot to Final Masterpiece

Curious about capturing stunning images of nebulae and galaxies but not sure where to begin? Or perhaps you are already exploring the night sky and looking to take your astrophotography to the next level? This session will guide you step by step — from basic gear and setup to advanced techniques — for producing breathtaking deep sky images with just a camera. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned hobbyist, you will walk away with the knowledge and inspiration to create award-winning astrophotography.

About Ogetay

Ogetay is a PhD Candidate in Astrophysics at Michigan Tech and works for NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day. He has been doing public outreach and science communication for over 10 years, founded a popular science platform with nearly 10 volunteers that became a top-visited science platform in Turkey, and has written over 300 popular science articles and 70+ video scripts for a YouTube channel that reached over 50M views. His astrophotography has received recognition with awards by Astrobin (top astrophotography platform) — with 1 image of the day, 6 Top Picks, and 8 Top Pick Nominations. In addition, has had one of his photos on the cover of ScopeTrader magazine’s, the November 2024 issue.

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MaryBeth Kiczenski
Adventurer / Photographer / Northern Lights Chaser

Presentation Topic: Understanding the Magnetosphere and Experiencing Solar Max! 

In this presentation, we will take a deep dive into the ever evolving, ever changing world of Aurora Chasing. This field is evolving at virtually the speed of light, and as we understand more of how our magnetosphere responds to solar wind, the more we can apply this to witnessing this amazing phenome! MaryBeth will introduce the Glendale App and how to use this incredible tool used to track substorms in real time.

The hype is here!! We are officially in Solar Max! At the time of this presentation, we will be well into the declining phase. This talk will highlight some of the incredible aurora shows we have seen so far – and how it has challenged everything we thought we knew about aurora visibility. With the advent of powerful cameras and cell phones, the aurora has been seen in places once thought impossible. That “once-in-a-lifeline” event, has become multiple times in a lifetime!

About MaryBeth

Marybeth Kiczenski is a Great Lakes-based adventurer and photographer with an obsession for dark skies and northern lights.

Marybeth is also an automotive product specialist who travels on the show circuit, a job that has taken her to virtually all corners of the United States and sparked her extreme wanderlust. She says this world is full of beauty, waiting to be discovered, and that’s where the shift from automotive photography to landscapes and nightscapes happened.

Now that she has a few years experience, Marybeth loves to help others discover the beauty of the night sky! Seeing the delight that comes from capturing that first Milky Way brings her joy. As this connection to a starry dark sky has inspired many for generations. [ View MaryBeth’s Website ]

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John Mueller
KML Team – Keweenaw Dark Sky Park

Presentation Topic: Welcome Remarks and the Keweenaw Dark Sky Park

John will provide opening remarks and welcome, talk about the progress of the Keweenaw Dark Sky Park and have a Q&A session with Amber Harrison on regarding the DarkSky International’s places program.

About John

John is the chief lead at the Lodge, and is heavily involved with the staff as it relates to operations and strategy of the resort.  He led the application process for the Keweenaw Dark Sky Park, and is closely involved with and knowledgeable of the dark sky park.

Previously, John was a professor at St. Edwards University, focusing on innovation and entrepreneurship (entrepreneurial finance). Before his time at St. Edward’s, he was a faculty member at Fresno State and Western Michigan University. He finished his PhD in Entrepreneurship at the University of Louisville. He is a native of Austin, Texas, and has lived in many cool places around the world.

John has started several companies, and worked as an employee in others. He is the founder of Keweenaw Resort, LLC, which owns the Lodge.

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Robert Nemiroff
Co-creator of Astronomy Picture of the Day, Astrophysicist and Professor of Physics at Michigan Technological University

Presentation Topic: Postcards from the Universe: 2024-2025 via NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day

Some of the coolest images and videos from the popular NASA science website Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD: apod.nasa.gov) that appeared during 2023 and 2024 will be presented. The science and stories behind these images will be discussed. The images not only include the best of the Hubble and Webb space telescope, but also images taken from dark skies around the world. Topics include nebulae, aurorae, galaxies, the distant universe, the nearby Solar System, and more.

About Robert

Robert J. Nemiroff is a Professor of Physics at Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Michigan. He holds a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania and is a Fellow of the American Physical Society. Dr. Nemiroff is perhaps best known as a creator, writer, and editor for one of NASA’s most popular science websites: the Astronomy Picture of the Day. Dr. Nemiroff’s new book, “Faster than Light, How Your Shadow Can Do It but You Can’t”, is available from Amazon. [ View Robert’s Michigan Tech Profile ]

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Tom Oliver
Photographer and Director of the Center for Science and Environmental Outreach at Michigan Technological University

Presentation Topic: Stargazing: Dark Sky Photography and Etiquette Workshop

Join photographer Tom Oliver for a comprehensive and informative session on night sky photography.  Topics being covered include equipment needed, camera settings, and the best locations for viewing. Learn more about the best gear to use and how to use it to get the night sky shots that you have always wanted.

Tom has noticed that with the increase in interest in Dark Sky tourism, there are people who, while enthusiastic about experiencing Dark Sky phenomena, sometimes conduct themselves in ways that could detract from experiences of others and may place themselves and others in potentially dangerous situations.  As such, he will talk about the etiquette and safety when out and about experiencing the dark sky.

About Tom

Tom is currently the director of the Michigan Tech University Center for Environmental Science and Outreach. Since he was a child, nature, wildlife, and the outdoors have always been his deepest fascination – the intrinsic force which drives him. Those interests led him through, both, his career (in wildlife ecology/management and science education) and his preferred forms of recreation (hiking, backpacking, canoeing and kayaking, photography, hunting and fishing, and birding). Although, he was born and raised in the UP, these pursuits also provided him the opportunity to live overseas (in Europe and Asia) for 15 years, which greatly expanded his experience with the outdoors and outdoor recreation in different cultures.  Tom has been a passionate photographer, and has taught various photography workshops at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge. His work can be viewed at teoliver.com and @theupwell on Instagram.

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Jamie Westfall
Park Manager of The Headlands Dark Sky Park

Presentation Topic: Illuminating Opportunities: Dark Sky Programming in the Tourism, Recreation, and Leisure Industry

Jamie’s presentation will highlight the growing demand for dark sky experiences and their role in sustainable tourism through an analysis of creative initiatives and existing programming opportunities and partnerships in designated DarkSky Places, and public, private, and non-profit sector attractions around the world. Attendees will learn how effective programming and partnerships can enrich visitor experiences, foster environmental stewardship, and contribute to regional economies. They will think critically about the challenges this industry might face. Participants will create their own astrotourism adventure bucket list. Attendees will leave with actionable insights, including strategies for integrating dark sky programming into their operations, and a deeper understanding of its value for communities and visitors.

About Jamie

Jamie is the Park Manager for Headlands International Dark Sky Park, as well as two other Emmet County Parks in Mackinaw City, MI. She is a Dark Sky Advocate with Dark Sky International, and a Certified Parks and Recreation Professional. She is a self-proclaimed “parks dork,” and recreation enthusiast.
Jamie’s favorite thing about working at the Headlands has been teaming up with astronomers, learning about dark sky conservation, and actively participating in the dark sky protection movement within the parks and recreation industry. [ View Jamie’s LinkedIn Profile ]

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Jared Wolfe
Ornithologist and Assistant Professor at Michigan Technological University

Presentation Topic: Navigating the Impact of Light Pollution on Migratory Songbirds and Pathways to Solutions

Dr. Wolfe will explore the complex interplay between migratory birds’ navigation mechanisms, including their use of the Earth’s magnetic fields and celestial cues, and the challenges posed by human-induced light pollution. Recent research reveals that these natural navigational aids are disrupted by artificial lighting, leading to disorientation and potential risks during nocturnal migration. This disturbance is increasingly implicated in the broader context of declines in migratory songbird populations across the hemisphere, highlighting an urgent need for conservation strategies that mitigate light pollution and protect these critical avian pathways.

About Jared

Jared Wolfe is an ornithologist and Assistant Professor at Michigan Technological University, specializing in avian ecology and conservation. His research focuses on understanding the factors affecting avian survival in both temperate and tropical forests. Dr. Wolfe is co-founder of the Louisiana Bird Observatory, the Biodiversity Initiative, and has conducted extensive fieldwork across the Americas and Africa. His work aims to bridge the gap between empirical research and practical conservation efforts, contributing to the preservation of avian biodiversity.

Rustic and Worldly Lunches

Each ticket to the festival includes two rustic worldly lunches; one on Friday and one on Saturday. When purchasing your ticket please state if you prefer the lunch with meat or the vegetarian option. Please note that there are no substitutions, and the menu is subject to change as we get closer to the event based upon access to ingredients. 

Friday Lunch Menu (served at 11:30am)

Pork Loin Strips Stir Fry Bowl: Pork loin strip – stir fried pork strips with vegetables and bang bang sauce served on rice with corn and cilantro.

– or –

Vegetables Stir Fry Wrap :Vegetables stir fry w/ house made Asian sauce with rice served in a wrap and a small cabbage salad.

Saturday Lunch Menu (served at 11:30am)

Roasted Chicken Sandwich: Roasted chicken with garlic, spices and lemon, served on a bun with mayo-lemon-cilantro spread, lettuce and a small side salad.

– or –

Vegetarian Lasagna: Lasagna noodles layered with vegetables in tomato sauce, ricotta with herbs and mozzarella. Served with a small side salad.

Rustic Worldly Lunch during the 2024 Upper Peninsula Dark Sky Festival

Lodging

The dark sky park is in a remote area, so it is important for you to plan where you are going to stay before traveling. The following options are available for lodging in the area:

[ to see more Lodging options, go to Visit Keweenaw ]

Food

The Keweenaw Mountain Lodge / Keweenaw Dark Sky Park is in a remote area, so it is important for you to plan where you are going to eat before traveling. The following options are available for food in the area:

[ Purchase Tickets ]
Limit: 50 tickets | $250 per ticket + tax

Details

Start:
April 24 @ 3:00 pm EDT
End:
April 26 @ 11:30 pm EDT