Wild Under the Stars
With some of the darkest skies in the greater Triangle & Triad area, the Animal Park at the Conservators Center offers superb viewing conditions for astronomical events and phenomena. On April 22nd, 2020, join us in the green space and event field by our Visitors Center to view the Lyrid Meteor Shower! You’ll have an unobstructed view of the sky with opportunities to view up to 10 – 15 meteors per hour left behind from the comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher, with “surges” that can peak at up to 100 meteors an hour. Thanks to a waning crescent, next-to-new phase this year, there will be practically zero interference from the Moon while you observe the night sky and the meteor shower. You’ll also have excellent viewing opportunities of many nebulæ, galaxies, and other stars and astronomical phenomena in the night sky with your binoculars or telescope.
What makes this viewing party unique, however, is the company you’ll keep. Our park of over 70 animals features a large population of vocal, social carnivores including lions and wolves, as well as other vocal species like jungle cats, a coyote, and New Guinea singing dogs, who will all keep you enthralled with their chorus of howls, roars, and calls. It’s an experience unlike any other!
Join us at 7:30pm for a unique twilight tour through the park before the viewing party begins at 10pm, or skip the tour to set up camp with your tent and telescope at 8:30pm! Whichever option you choose, you’ll have an excellent viewing opportunity of this event and the other celestial objects available in the night sky.
A part of the North Carolina SciFest this year, Wild Under the Stars’ April Star Party of the Lyrid Meteor Shower is the perfect opportunity to participate in a fun, family oriented, educational experience!
Wild Under the Stars offers a discounted (additional purchase) pre-viewing party tour through the Animal Park for visitors who will be purchasing admission to the starlight viewing party and also, for an additional fee, the opportunity to camp out all night and enjoy the entire meteor shower.
Pre-registration is required, guests will not be admitted without a ticket.
Viewing party event is contingent on weather conditions, cancellation due to weather will be communicated to ticket holders by email 24 hours in advance if necessary. Guests are responsible for bringing their own telescope, binoculars, or other viewing equipment, The Animal Park will not have extras available for use. Please arrive on time to set up your viewing equipment, our exterior lights will go RED at 10pm.
Need to Know Before You Go
Accessibility, Safety, and Pets
The Animal Park is not wheelchair accessible; however, accessibility accommodations are available for visitors with mobility issues. Please note that we do not allow unauthorized vehicles, including scooters or motorized wheelchairs, in the park. You can find more information about disability accommodations and handicapped access in the Tour FAQ on our Plan Your Visit page. Please note that strollers are also not permitted in the park.
If you are planning to visit the Animal Park, please take a moment to review and complete our online tour waiver. If you would like, you can also download and print the waiver and photography release forms to fill out and complete prior to your arrival. Waivers will also be available in the gift shop for visitors to complete during the check-in process.
For safety reasons, the Animal Park does not allow visitors to bring pets on site. Any visitor who brings an animal to the Park will be asked to leave immediately. We do not allow visitors to leave animals unattended in a vehicle at any time of year.
