Starry Nights, a celebration of stargazing, returns to Hatteras Village on February 8

Starry Nights, a celebration of stargazing on one of the darkest stretches of the East Coast, is returning to Hatteras Village on Saturday, February 8, for the second consecutive year in a row.

The kid-friendly event returned after a four-year pause in 2024, and it received such rave reviews that organizers are bringing it back for February 2025 as well.

“That event had been shelved because of COVID, but we did it again [last year] and saw how it worked, and are looking forward to expanding the offerings,” said Karla Jarvis of the Hatteras Village Civic Association. “It’s our only event this is totally child-centered and we want to grow it. Of course, there are things for all ages, especially the night sky star gazing.”

The afternoon and evening event, (which will be held at multiple spots along southern Hatteras Island), is sponsored by the Hatteras Village Civic Association and is free to the island community.

With special visiting hosts from the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center from UNC-Chapel Hill, attendees can expect plenty of fascinating and fun activities, including a mobile planetarium theater, guided sky watching, and additional activities for children to explore the stars in their own sandy backyard.

Events planned for Saturday, February 8, include the following:

Mobile Morehead Planetarium Shows: 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m.
Enjoy a panoramic experience inside the Morehead Mobile Planetarium gazing at thousands of stars without ever leaving the Hatteras Village Fire Station. Planetarium shows are scheduled for 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., and 3:30 p.m. on Saturday afternoon.

Children’s Programming and Activities: 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
The Hatteras Community Center will feature a range of hands-on activities designed just for kids, which are available from 1:30 p.m. until 4:30 p.m.

Pre-Sky Watching Soup at the Civic Center: 5:00 – 6:30 p.m.
The Hatteras Village Civic Center will have hot soup available for anyone who wants to warm up before the evening’s sky-gazing event.

Guided Sky Watching: 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Attendees can head to the Sandy Bay beach access just north of Hatteras Village for a guided tour of Hatteras Island’s dark skies. Morehead educators will bring along the telescopes and will guide attendees through fun observations of stars, planets, moons, nebulae, and other celestial objects that are easily spotted from the shorelines of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

Hatteras Island is fortunate enough to have one of the clearest skies in the country, which is why this event is a must for anyone who wants to garner a deeper appreciation of our night skies, and our home galaxy.

For more information, see the flyer below or visit the Hatteras Village’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/HatterasVillage/.