Tanner Obray — Your Northern Utah Stargazing Guide
Hi! My name is Tanner Obray, and I am the Founder and Operator of Rocky Mountain Stargazing LLC. Ever since I was little, I have been fascinated by the night sky and everything hiding beyond what we can see with our own eyes. Rocky Mountain Stargazing is my way of sharing that fascination with others.
If you’re the type of person who looks up at the night sky and wonders what’s out there, then you’re in the right place! In this first blog post, you’ll learn a little about who I am, how I got into astronomy, and why I’m so passionate about helping others experience the universe for themselves.
How I Fell in Love with Astronomy
When I was little, I thought that space was cool… Then I grew up and realized that it really is cool! In all actuality it really was that simple for me. Growing up I always wondered what was in the sky and absolutely loved learning about the things hiding up there. I especially loved all the mysterious objects that us humans have no experience with like black holes, galaxy clusters, dark matter, and more.
It wasn’t until high school that I became really interested in the stargazing aspect. I started to learn how to identify constellations and planets in the night sky. I then took a photography class and for a few of my assignments I took some astro-photos. I managed to take a picture of the Orion Nebula with just a camera, lens, and tripod. By my standards today, it is a really ugly picture, but to me at that time it was the most beautiful picture I had ever taken.
In 2020 I started college at the University of Utah with an initial interest in mechanical engineering. While studying, I picked up a job working as a part of the outreach team for the Physics and Astronomy Department. With this team, we taught, demonstrated, and hosted star parties for thousands of people all over Utah and sometimes out of state as well. A lot of what I know today comes from my experiences at the U.
I also had the amazing opportunity to work on the University’s research grade telescope. This was one of the turning points for me and my career path. I learned that I was super interested in the optics behind telescope systems. The way they fold, bend, and warp light was so fascinating.
I eventually made the decision to leave the University of Utah and pursue a degree in optics from Front Range Community College in Colorado. I am finishing up my degree in optics Spring 2027 and will hopefully work in a field manufacturing telescope optics.
Turning a Hobby into a Business
Around 2023, I decided to start my stargazing business, Tanner Obray Astronomy Tours. I realized within about 6 months that my business name was terrible, so I made the switch to Rocky Mountain Astronomy Tours. In 2026 I decided I needed to change my business name again, Rocky Mountain Stargazing. Hold your applause, I know the new name is amazing (I am still in the process of changing everything to reflect this new name).
When I first started this business, my mindset was that if I can make enough from stargazing tours to pay for my telescopes, that would be a win! Little did I know how much of an interest there was for private stargazing tours in northern Utah. I have since been lucky enough to show thousands of people just how amazing the night sky is through my telescopes.
Since the day I started this business, I have absolutely loved every second of it. You see, I have looked through my telescope at the same exact objects so many times. A little bit of the wow factor for me is lost, but when I hear my guests’ reactions to seeing Saturn’s rings, distant colliding galaxies, or clusters of 100,000+ stars for the first time it feels as though I am looking through the telescope at those objects for the first time again. You are what make this job amazing, not the stars, not the telescopes, but you. When you look through my telescopes, I remember what it was like when I first did. That is a feeling that is rare to find anywhere else.
What Can You Expect During a Stargazing Tour?
During one of my stargazing tours, expect to be awestruck! …Or should I say star struck? Throughout the night we will look at galaxies, nebulae, star clusters, planets, and more. The amazing thing about stargazing is that there are always different things to see depending on the time of year.
With a laser, I will guide you through the night sky, pointing out constellations, naked-eye objects, and more. You will learn and experience the hidden nature of our night sky. There are so many things up there that we just can’t see either because they are too dim, too far, or too small.
Throughout the laser-guided tour, the telescope will be moved to various objects in the night sky including some of the “hidden” objects. Our largest telescope collects over 1,000 times more light and can zoom in around 400x farther than your naked eye. This allows us to see things that are not remotely visible to the naked eye.
An integral component of my stargazing tours is education. You can expect every guest, of any age, to learn something they didn’t know about space. Questions make the experience even more fun. I encourage questions throughout the event. After all, these events are for you, so I want to talk about and show you the things you are most interested in. Space and astronomy are also full of mind-bending facts. For example, did you know that we could fit around 1.3 million Earths inside of the sun?
Thank you for reading my first blog post! You are the reason for my passion.
I honestly believe that every single human has some interest in space. For some, that interest is already flourishing, and for others, they just haven’t heard something cool enough yet! If I can inspire just one person with this blog, to go outside and look up, then it was a success.
My goal for this blog is to give you insights into the night sky as well as practical tips, recommended stargazing locations, telescope reviews, and more. Expect to see more posts soon.Thanks!
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“The cosmos is within us. We are made of star-stuff. We are a way for the universe to know itself.”
— Carl Sagan
If you want to learn more about our stargazing tours, click the button below.
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