The Central Arkansas Astronomical Society (CAAS) holds star parties most months, March through November each year. Below, we list the principal places where CAAS holds or participates in Public Star Parties, together with a brief overview of the typical program format at each location. Click on the title of each for more information on the location. Clicking on an event on the CAAS calendar of events will provide more information.
For all outdoor observing events, consider bringing portable chairs, binoculars, and bug spray in season, and dress warmer than you think you need to. If you want to use a flashlight, make it a red one, and don’t wear clothes or shoes that light up or flash.
The Darksky Festival on Bear Creek
CAAS participates in the Arkansas Natural Sky Association’s annual Dark Sky Festival, located on the bank of Bear Creek in Searcy County, just outside the Buffalo National River, a International Dark Sky Park. This is the most natural and lest light polluted location for any star party in Arkansas. This event is a two night event with programming, nature hikes, workshops and more. Use the underlined link above for more information.
Lake Sylvia is a very rare jewel of a site for a public star party. Located only about forty minutes west of Little Rock with a class one highway all the way, it nevertheless has a fine dark sky – the least light-polluted of CAAS’s star party venues, except for ANSA’s Dark-Sky Festival held near the Buffalo National River Dark-Sky Park.
The Sylvia event will naturally focus on telescopic views of dim, deep-sky objects and constellation tours. Indoor presentations will occur in Ogden Hall at 6:00, rain or shine. If clear, observing will begin on the peninsula on the lake’s south side at 7:00. This event is weather dependent. If uncertain, check the calendar for cancellation an hour before the event and the possibility of a raindate the following weekend.
Reflecting poles will mark a short trail from the day area parking lot to the observing location. RV and tent camping are available, and there are some primitive cabins to rent as well. Click the title above for more information.

Natural Steps Sports Complex (aka the soccer fields)
Located just north of the new Pinnacle Mountain State Park visitor center on Highway 300, the Soccer field complex is as accessible. It has a slightly darker sky than the Pinnacle Mountain site reviewed below. However, it does not have indoor facilities for presentations, and the restrooms are porta-potties. With a fairly clear horizon to the south and west, this site lends itself to catching the receding summer Milky Way. The program will be canceled in the event of cloudy weather. If uncertain, check the calendar for cancelation an hour before the event and the possibility of a raindate the following weekend.
Pinnacle Mountain State Park – Old Visitor Center (not the new center on 300)
The main virtue of Pinnacle Mountain is its accessibility. However, that comes with a significant level of light pollution. Nonetheless, it has been a popular location and typically has nearly a dozen telescopes and crowds as large as 600 or more if the season and weather are favorable. The observing event is always preceded by indoor programming on astronomy. The indoor program goes on regardless of cloud cover.
Chosen to provide geographical diversity to our events, the Sherwood Sports Complex offers convenience similar to Pinnacle on the opposite side of the metropolitan area and will focus on the brighter night sky objects, such as the major planets and the more prominent constellations, particularly in the Northern sky. The observing event is always preceded by indoor programing on topic astronomical. The indoor program goes on regardless of cloud cover.
Located northeast of Greenbriar, Wooly Hollow is our second darkest site. However, it does not have indoor facilities for presentations, so the program will be canceled in the event of cloudy weather. If uncertain, check the calendar for cancelation an hour before the event and the possibility of a raindate the following weekend. There is ample camping, and daytime activities are plentiful. This event is weather dependent. If uncertain, check the calendar for cancellation an hour before the event and the possibility of a raindate the following weekend.
Two River’s park is a large park located between the Maumelle and Arkansas Rivers. CAAS events will typically be located near the entrance in proximity to the pavilion. Event here will typically be focused on brigher objects due to it proximity to the city, such as the moon and brighter planets. Expect some programing to preceed the obseverving. The site also offers restrooms and plenty of parking. Events here may or may not be weather dependent, based on what the particualar focus is and how substantial the presentation program is. Check the calendar for clarifiation.