Sky's the Limit Observatory and Nature Center

Just outside Joshua Tree National Park, in Twentynine Palms, California, Sky's the Limit Observatory and Nature Center brings together desert ecology and astronomy for volunteers and visitors alike.

About Sky's the Limit Observatory and Nature Center

Sky's the Limit is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, all-volunteer organization dedicated to hands-on learning about the desert, the earth, and the sky. Its facilities include an observatory with a dome telescope, a nature center, and dedicated viewing grounds. The organization partners with the astronomy program at Copper Mountain College and serves visitors to the nearby Joshua Tree Gateway Communities and national park.

Telescopes & research

The observatory's dome telescope is used during public stargazing sessions led by volunteer astronomers, giving visitors hands-on access to views of planets, the Moon, and deep-sky objects under the desert's dark skies.

Location & getting there

The site sits in Twentynine Palms, California, at the edge of the Mojave Desert near Joshua Tree National Park, a region prized for its dark, dry skies far from major city light pollution.

Visiting Sky's the Limit Observatory and Nature Center

The center runs monthly educational programs and stargazing sessions, along with special events and field trips such as Discovery Days. For current schedules, contact the center at 760-490-9561 or check its official website before visiting.

See your named star from here

With volunteer astronomers regularly pointing telescopes at the desert sky, Sky's the Limit is a natural place to picture a named star of your own. Name a star to get its exact coordinates, or explore the catalogue of stars already named by others.