For the curious
Observer
Follow the dark. Free forever.
Free
- The Journal — every field note & guide
- Monthly new-moon sky calendar
- Departure announcements, first
- Aphelion community observing map
Membership
Keep the dark on your calendar.
Expeditions are the summit — membership is the practice. Priority seats, yearly expedition credit, loaner optics, and a community that plans life around the new moon.
Monthly
Annual 2 months free
For the traveler
Voyager
Priority on every departure, and the tools to be ready for it.
$79
/ month
billed monthly
- Everything in Observer
- 72-hour priority booking window
- $500 expedition credit each year
- Quarterly live sessions with our astronomers
- Loaner gear program — optics & thermal kit
- Member-only regional star camps (4× / yr)
For the devoted
Custodian
A seat held on the season's flagship voyage — and your name on the dark.
$249
/ month
billed monthly
- Everything in Voyager
- One guaranteed seat per flagship season
- $1,500 expedition credit each year
- Private observing session on any voyage
- 1% of dues fund dark-sky preservation grants
- Annual print atlas of the year's expeditions
All prices USD. Expedition fares are separate and listed per voyage. Membership dues fund the Aphelion Dark-Sky Grant — $214,000 granted to preservation projects since 2022.
The honest math
Does Voyager pay for itself?
Annual dues (billed annually) −$790
Expedition credit +$500
Four member star camps (non-member price $120 each) +$480
If you use it, per year +$190 ahead
If you don't travel this year, Observer is free and we'd rather you stay there. Membership is for people already planning around the moon.
Questions
Asked, answered.
Do I need to know anything about astronomy?
No. Most of our travelers arrive knowing the Big Dipper and not much else. The point of an astronomer guide is that curiosity is the only prerequisite — every question gets a real answer, from “what's that bright one” to the fate of the universe.
What happens if it's cloudy?
We schedule inside new-moon windows at locations chosen for cloud-cover statistics, so it's rare — but weather is weather. Every itinerary carries buffer nights, and if clouds still take more than a third of your expedition, our weather guarantee credits 50% of your fare toward any future departure.
How does the expedition credit work?
Voyager and Custodian credits apply to any expedition fare, stack up to two years, and are shareable with a travel companion on the same booking. They renew on your membership anniversary.
Can I cancel my membership?
Anytime, effective at the end of your billing period. Unused expedition credits remain valid for 90 days after cancellation. No exit forms, no retention calls — the sky will still be there if you come back.
Are expeditions physically demanding?
Mostly no — observing is a stationary art. The Atacama Deep Field involves altitude (we acclimatize properly over two nights), and Lofoten involves cold. Each expedition page carries an honest difficulty note, and our team will talk it through with you before you book.