"We had 8,000 visitor contacts last year" during Astrofest, said Moore. Many of the contacts were from people using a specially equipped telescope to view the sun, and others were contacts at workshops and the three simultaneous programs about astronomy. "So I'm sure we're counting some people more than once."

The Salt Lake Astronomical Society is the amateur club most closely allied with Bryce's program, he said. But other groups and individuals across the country send volunteers too.

Until now, star parties have been held in two stages, with ranger talks held indoors at the park's auditorium, then the viewing session in the visitor center parking lot. That requires a drive between the venues. And without a permanent observatory, the laborious effort of setting up, aligning and taking down telescopes must be carried out each time.

"Right now the park owns five telescopes," said Richman. The largest has an 11-inch diameter, an impressive amateur instrument. But the observatory could sport not only these but a bigger telescope, at least 25 inches in diameter.

"Park management here at Bryce is very supportive of it," she said. It has established an observatory committee to search for a location, and all of the feedback from higher levels of the service has been positive.

Astronomy at Bryce is has become "very, very popular," said Kevin Poe, acting chief of interpretation at the park. He cited the activities of Patrick Wiggins, NASA solar system ambassador to Utah, as inspiring a renewed viewing program.

"Incredible idea!" Wiggins exclaimed. "I really like it. Bryce Canyon, of course, has been adjudged to be one of the last remaining holdouts of truly dark nighttime skies of the lower 48. Just with the eyeball it's glorious.

"But through telescopes, especially a big telescope like they're talking about down there right now, I can't imagine the wonders of the universe that people using the instrument will be treated to."

When would the observatory open?

"We'd love to get it for 2009; that's the International Astronomy Year," Poe said. "And it's also the 400th anniversary of the telescope" as used by Galileo.

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E-mail: bau@desnews.com