After-Hours Astronomy

Private Events
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Dark sky excursions
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Small-Group Workshops
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Late-night technical support

Available Services:

Pre-Purchase Consultation:

  • From different brands to completely different types of technology, there can be a ton of questions before you ever get to the point of needing actual technical support.

    With this in mind, After-Hours Astronomy wanted to offer a service designed to help you navigate all the gear available in today’s market. Whether you’re looking at brand new equipment or browsing the forums for something used, there are more options than ever before. Researching all of the possible combinations of equipment can be a months-long process to do alone, and this may not always be feasible for a number of reasons. That could be limited stock on a hot product, a single used item listed for a great price, or maybe you’re just too darn busy with non-astro things! But with this pre-purchase consultation we can help you cut through all of those choices, and together we can quickly and easily build you a system that is perfect for your specific needs, budget, and experience level.

    Please note that After-Hours Astronomy promises to always provide impartial and unbiased advice, with all recommendations based on more than a decade of first-hand experience as both a hobbyist and as an employee of the retail astronomy industry.

    *10% Discount when purchased alongside the “First Night Out” service

    **This particular package is not specifically a night-time service, so if you would like to schedule an off-hours consultation please. We also offer shorter 30min blocks if you have questions about a specific piece of equipment

  • 30min = $50

    1hr = $90

    *10% Discount when purchased alongside the “First Night Out” service

    *All reservations must be submitted through our booking platform (HERE).

    *All reservations must be made at least 24hr in advance, and they must include a basic explanation of the gear being used and the problem being addressed.

First Night Out:

  • This option entails a full 3 hours (9pm -12am MT) of one-on-one support to help get everything in your system operational. Whether it’s genuinely your first night out or if you just got some new gear and need to start over from scratch, this is where to go for if you need to learn your system from the ground up. Everything will be covered from the physical setup and breakdown of your system, the storage of your gear, software, polar alignment, and more.

    Before the session you will be required to install both Zoom and AnyDesk for real-time communication. For this package there will also be some communication required before the session in order for me to get familiar with all of your equipment, and to get a sense of your overall level of comfort with this stuff. If you are unable to install AnyDesk or Zoom please reach out in advance and we can set up a mandatory 20-min “General Assistance” reservation devoted to installing these two communication programs and explaining how to use them.

    *Solar setups are welcome too but will require special arrangements for a daytime session. Please reach out to schedule this directly.

  • $299 for 3 hours
    *If necessary this can be split into two sessions.

    *All reservations must be submitted through our booking platform (HERE).

    *All reservations must be made at least 24hr in advance, and they must include a basic explanation of the gear being used and the problem being addressed.

General Assistance:

  • The General Assistance option is for all basic technical support services, ranging from the most common challenges to more intermediate troubleshooting. This will cover the majority of issues experienced with today’s equipment, with some examples of our available expertise below:

    • Assistance with installation and setup of equipment across all levels of complexity.

    • Mount alignment procedures - solar, polar, stellar, AZ, EQ, you name it!

    • Telescope collimation assistance for a variety of mirror-based optical designs including: Newtonian, Ritchey-Chretien (RC), Schmidt-Cassegrain (SCT), and Maksutov-Newtonian.

    • General equipment troubleshooting - software or hardware. Anything related to basic operation of an amateur astronomy setup.

    • First-steps of image calibration, stacking, and processing. And recommendations on where to turn for advanced processing support.

    After-Hours Astronomy delivers support in real-time through your choice of communication platforms, including Google Meet video conferencing, telephone, text messaging, or email correspondence. Services are structured in 30-minute increments, with volume discounts available for multiple sessions. Appointments may be scheduled consecutively or distributed across multiple evenings for your convenience.

    Contact Us today for more information or to schedule an appointment!

    *Please note that in some situations you will be put in touch with the relevant manufacturer or dealer to resolve specific issues, but this will all be arranged on your behalf.

  • 30min - $60

    60min - $100

    90min - $150

    *All reservations must be submitted through our booking platform (HERE).

    *All reservations must be made at least 24hr in advance, and they must include a basic explanation of the gear being used and the problem being addressed.

Advanced  Assistance:

  • This option is the most in-depth of all the available service packages, and it is best-suited for someone who’s graduated from traditional beginner setups and beginner questions. This can mean you have a genuine observatory, a semi-permanent backyard setup, or even a full rig that gets transported to your favorite dark site. These sessions would not be about the basics of nightly setup and alignment routines, and would instead be focused on specific gear or specific problems. This package will usually entail multiple sessions and is meant to offer a more hands-on, longer-term support than the "General Assistance" option.

    This advanced level of assistance requires real-time communication by Zoom, phone, text, email, or any other medium you prefer. All communication and liaising with relevant manufacturers and vendors will be handled on my end, unless the manufacturer or vendor insists on speaking with you directly (as some do) in which case we can arrange a 3-way Zoom session or phone call.

    Sessions start at $150 for a full hour, with discounts available on 3-hour packages. And longer projects can be quoted at an extra 5-10% discount depending on the work being done and the estimated length of the project. Session reservations can be anywhere from 1-3 hours per night.

    For observatory-grade assistance I am also willing to travel (at your expense) to any location of your choosing for a weekend of personally set up and walking you through the equipment. This project would require a quote as well so please Contact Us if interested.

    If you have more questions or would like to begin setting up a plan the please reach out using the Contact Us form.

  • 60min = $150

    180min = $399

    *All reservations must be submitted through our booking platform (HERE).

    *All reservations must be made at least 48hr in advance, and they must include a basic explanation of the gear being used and the problem being addressed.

    *Multiple nights or long-term projects will need to be quoted in advance.

Small-Group Workshops:

  • After-Hours Astronomy has a mission to help as many people as possible become interested and involved in the hobby/passion/obsession known as astronomy. For some folks that means a little help with the equipment they already have. For others that means providing the first real taste of observing from a dark sky. And for others that will mean learning a totally new skill from the ground up! But whether you’re a complete novice or a seasoned veteran, we hope you can find something new to learn at one of our workshops!

    Unlike our private events and dark sky excursions, the workshops will be pre-planned, dedicated to particular skills or techniques, and designed for individuals or small groups rather than larger parties. These workshops will typically be capped at around 10-20 people in order to provide the most support possible to each participant. And once a workshop has been announced, tickets can be purchased from either this website or our preferred ticketing partner, MULTIPASS.COM.

    Please see the main Workshops Page for more information about any upcoming events or for details about any recent events.

  • *Priced per event - Please check the “Workshops and Pop-Up Events” page for more information or to buy tickets.

Pop-ups & Public Events:

  • Beyond just the astronomy community, we also strive to be a part of the larger community here on the Front Range of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. In addition to all of our regular programming, we are also looking forward to working with some of the area’s finest small businesses to bring you amazing experiences a little closer to home. These events will range from simple sidewalk astronomy pop-ups to fully catered and meticulously planned experiences. All announcements will be made on our events page, as well as through our social media pages (Instagram + Facebook).

    We are looking to work with any local businesses, including restaurants, food trucks, breweries, distilleries, farms, art galleries, local townships or HOAs, and more! If you are the owner or representative of any such business please feel free to reach out. Or if you have any favorite places in mind we’d always appreciate a referral, request, or introduction.

    Details, locations, times, and costs will all vary depending on the event itself. But please feel free to check HERE for any updates, or Contact Us at any point if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for future partnerships.

  • *Priced per event - Please check the “Pop-Ups & Partnerships” page for more information or to buy tickets.

Private Events:

  • At After-Hours Astronomy, we have the equipment and the knowledge to transform everyday celebrations into celestial experiences. Whether you’re hosting a business event, exchanging vows under the Milky Way, or simply planning a large event with good outdoor space, our private sky tours redefine celebration! Imagine a wedding reception where guests marvel at Saturn’s rings through a collection of high-end telescopes, or a team-building retreat lit by the glow of the milky way under dark skies. No matter your vision, we can help make sure that your guests are truly starstruck!

    All private events include a minimum of four (4) telescope setups, with available upgrade options that can skew the event towards either visual observation or astrophotography depending on your preference. Upgrades are available for larger groups or specialized goals, including solar observation during the day or scheduling for times of year when the most planets will be visible. If you or your guests would like to incorporate your own gear we can work it into the event, but you would be responsible for setup before the event and break-down after the event. We also offer the option to have events that are less focused on astronomy gear, and more in tune with other creative outlets such as light painting, meditation, culinary experiences, and wine or spirit tastings. We are happy to work with any events planner, or with enough notice we can handle some basic event coordination.

  • Contact Us for custom pricing, but basic plans start as follows:

    • Small Event (20 people or less) = $1250

      • 3 scopes included (additional setups available).

    • Large Event (more than 20 people) = $3000

      • 4 scopes included (additional setups available).

    • Corporate and commercial functions will be priced upon request.

Dark Sky Excursions:

  • After-Hours Astronomy was founded to provide technical support services, but helping as many people as possible get outside under the stars is the real driving force behind our business - regardless of gear, experience, or location. And with that concept in mind we also decided to offer dark sky excursions for individuals, families, and groups of all kinds.

    These excursions can be tailored to anybody at any skill level, whether you’re an experienced astrophotographer, a lifelong visual observer, or just someone who really likes space. So if you’ve always wanted to experience the magic of dark skies, please Contact Us today and let After-Hours Astronomy be your tour-guide to the cosmos.

    Our events always include a variety of telescopes, and depending on your preferences the equipment selection can be optimized for visual observation, astrophotography, or a mix of both. After-Hours Astronomy will be responsible for setup, operation, and explanation of all of our equipment, but you and your guests are welcome to bring your own gear as well. All of our excursions include 4 complete setups for either visual observing or astrophotography, but you can opt to add any (or all) of our other equipment as upgrades to your excursion. Beyond just providing the equipment, After-Hours Astronomy can work with you to plan around any number of specific requests such as certain types of targets, elevations, times of year, or even equipment preferences.

    As part of all excursion, we include two hours of planning and preparation beforehand for basic packages, and up to five (5) hours for VIP packages - after which a discounted hourly rate would apply. During the planning phase we will help you pick a dark-sky location that is best suited to your group’s needs and preferences. This could mean finding an area with specific daytime recreation options, a location that meets specific physical/accessibility needs, or just proximity to certain points of interest like an airport, grandma’s house, or a waterfall.

    All guests will be required to secure reservations for campsites, cabins, or any other lodging. If there is an additional fee required for After-Hours Astronomy staff please provide a receipt and you will be reimbursed accordingly. Guests will also be required to provide their own camping gear such as RVs, tents, chairs, toiletries, etc…. If you would like to find a location with on-site lodging this can be arranged with enough lead time as well. Food and snacks will be made available for all VIP packages, and can be added on to any basic package.

    If you will be traveling from out of state, you are more than welcome to ship any gear to After-Hours Astronomy ahead of time. And if you require any new gear for this trip you are welcome to purchase it and have it shipped directly here as well. All excursions will include detailed, hands-on instruction regarding the setup and operation of any gear being used, whether it’s gear belonging to After-Hours Astro or your own equipment.

    After-Hours Astronomy has also partnered with SkyView Tents to offer some amazing deals on some amazing gear! SkyView Tents offer a truly unique star-gazing experience with their invisible mesh and a patent-pending internal rain-fly design, plus they hand make their tents under the dark skies of Buena Vista, CO!

    • Basic Group Package = $1500 for one night or $2800 for two nights.

      • Includes up to 8 people, but others are welcome to join at the cost of $100 per person (per night) up to a total of 15 extra people. Kids who will be asleep before stargazing will not be counted towards this total.

      • The basic group package includes any four telescopes setups as seen on our Available Equipment page. Additional equipment can be added as an upgrade. Equipment operation and guest instruction will be provided by After-Hours Astronomy.

      • Includes basic snacks and refreshments.

      • All dark sky excursions include one metallic print (12×12 or 11×17) of any object imaged during this event. This will be shipped within 2-4 weeks after the event

      • Additional metallic prints can be ordered during or after the event for a 10% discount.

      • Photographic prints of any images will be made available on site with our high resolution printer. These are available in 5×7 or 8.5×11, with larger 13×19 prints available for $30 each.

      • 20% deposit required at time of booking.

    • VIP Group Package = $3500 for one night or $6000 for two nights.

      • Price includes up to 10 people, but others are welcome to join at the cost of $200 per person (per night) up to a total of 15 extra people. Final count for attendance is required within 48hrs of the event.

      • Includes full dinner, s’mores (+ hand wipes), snacks, and refreshments (you will be asked about any dietary restrictions during planning).

      • VIP packages include one light painting session that can involve all guests. And a high-quality print will be made for all group members. *This can/will include the Milky Way whenever possible.

      • Basic solar observing and/or imaging during the day (2-4 solar scopes with a mixture of cameras and eyepieces).

      • For any astrophotography setups used as part of your excursion, all RAW data will be made available to the group for download for one month after the event

      • In addition to the metallic prints that come with all dark-sky excursions, additional photographic prints of any images will be made available on site with our high resolution printer. These are available in 5×7 or 8.5×11, with larger 13×19 prints available for $30 each.

      • 20% deposit required at time of booking.

Appraisals & Valuations

  • If you or someone you know recently came into some astronomy equipment and you’re not sure what it is or what it’s worth, this service offers a quick and easy solution complete with recommended 2nd-hand pricing and referrals for any potential service needs.

    This service will be primarily conducted via email, but phone calls or text messages can be used as needed. Price is $20 per item with discounts available for larger collections or astronomy-heavy estates.

    Please allow up to 5 days for a complete report.

  • $30 for anything made since 1990

    $50 for anything made in 1989 or earlier

    *Bulk pricing available for entire estates.

    *All items include a written and signed appraisal letter.

Help spread the word!

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Astronomy Forums

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$150 Credit towards your next event with any verified referral that completes their own booking!