🥾 Guides: Angel & Kat
📅 Date: Saturday, May 2, 2026
⏰Time: 6:30 - 10:00 P.M.
📍 Location: Campsite at Shield Ranch
🎟 Cost: $15 adults, $7 youth; recommended for ages 8+
Join us for a UV night walk and more at the Dusk to Dark Star Party at Shield Ranch Barton Creek, the first Urban Night Sky Place in Texas. Learn from astronomy educators Amy Jackson (Night Sky Program Director for Travis County Parks Foundation) and Dawn Davies (Hill Country Alliance Night Skies Program Manager) while experiencing unforgettable stargazing—with an exciting new option to stay overnight!
Dusk to Dark Star Party includes:
Starry Sky Viewing: Explore the night sky through telescopes, learn how to find constellations and view celestial wonders with members of Austin Astronomical Society.
Dark Skies Education: Discover the importance of dark skies for all living things and how we can preserve them.
Citizen Science: Contribute to the Globe at Night campaign helping researchers worldwide track and reduce light pollution.
UV Nature Walk: Join a Central Texas Mycological Society educator for a guided UV walk through a diverse, nocturnal ecosystem. Using UV flashlights and cameras, we’ll look for mushrooms, night pollinators, birds, glowing plants, lichens, and more.
Community Constellation Art and Storytelling: With artist and educator Stephanie Chavez Noell we will weave together the constellations in the night's sky while learning stories about the constellations from different cultures.
Yaupon Tea Tasting: Enjoy a cozy cup of Yaupon Tea from Cat Spring Yaupon.
About the UV Night Walk
We will explore the diverse, nocturnal ecosystem with UV flashlights and cameras to look for mushrooms, night pollinators, birds, glowing plants, lichens and more. This walk will highlight fungi’s role in transforming a former dumpsite into a thriving urban forest. Learn how fungi is entangled in the forest helping plants gain water and nutrients, creating the pigments that give flowers their beautiful colors, to helping plants communicate with pollinators. We will have UV flashlights. Guests will learn how to look for, photograph and be community scientists in adding fluorescing organisms to the iNaturalist project. Learn more here about how some plants, mushrooms, lichens and insects have evolved color patterns that are visible in the ultraviolet portion of the electromagnetic light spectrum, which humans cannot see but many insects, birds and animals can see.
Bring your own 365nm UV flashlight or purchase one from us and pick-up at the event.
We tested 5+ UV flashlight brands and we recommend this flashlight. Order online and pick-up at one of our night walks.
Product Features
Handheld UV flashlight
Lightweight, compact size goes anywhere
Built-in rechargeable lithium battery
Charge with included 6-inch Micro USB cord
Can run from a USB power bank (not included)
Product Specifications
ON/OFF button on tailcap
Bulb 3-watt 365nm UV LED
Battery internal rechargeable battery
Dimensions 4" (103mm) long x 0.9" (24mm) width
Weight 3.1 ounces / 90g