Click here for Greek
Back to Events page.

Come prepared.
Be aware that many star parties are held in remote locations where there are no bathroom facilities. Ask the party organizers what facilities are available and make plans accordingly.
Be sure to bring some water with you and perhaps some light snacks. Being active late at night makes most people hungry. Even if you do not get hungry you will certainly need something to drink, particularly on warm summer nights.
In most parts of the country you'll also want to carry bug repellent. Many insects are most active at night, and in some places mosquitoes can eat you alive in an hour. Bug repellent is available at sporting goods stores; the rub-on types seem to work better than the sprays.

What to wear.
Do bring warm clothes -- warmer than you think you might need. Most people are not used to being outside late at night and you may find it is a lot colder than you expected.
Wear sturdy footwear, such as running shoes or hiking boots. In the dark it's hard to see what is underfoot and what you are stepping on, so your feet should be protected from sharp rocks, cactus or whatever inhabits the ground in at that site.

Drive Slowly.
Save our telescopes! Be kind! Please drive slow enough on our road to keep the dust down at all times.

No White Lights After Dusk.
White light ruins the dark adaptation that your eyes develop after about 20 or 30 minutes in the dark. You will need this dark adaptation to see faint, deep sky objects. When a white light is used after dark anywhere in the vicinity of the observing field (flashlights, car headlights, even a match) it takes us to 30 minutes for everyone to regain their night vision. Once your eyes adapt to the darkness, you will be able to find your way around and avoid obstructions without needing a flashlight.

No Smoking on the Observing Field.
Smoke damages telescope optics and can cause sensitive individuals to suffer allergic reactions.

How to Make an Astronomy Friendly Light?
The best solution is to use a red filter or lens on flashlights, or to buy a special red LED light. However, it is very simple to adapt a regular white flashlight to make it friendly to your eyes. All you need to do is cover it with anything red. Applying several coats of red fingernail polish to the flashlight lens is an inexpensive way to make a permanent astronomy light. Temporary astronomy lights can be made by covering a regular flashlight with a thick layer of non-flammable red paper or plastic and securing it with a rubber band. Red brake-light tape can also be used.

Turn off Your Headlights and Interior Lights.
When you arrive at an observing site after dark, please turn off your car's headlights BEFORE entering the parking areas. When you leave an observing site after dark, please do not turn on your car's headlights until AFTER you exit the parking area. Also, please ensure that any non-red interior and trunk lights will not come on when a door is opened. If your car's courtesy lights cannot be deactivated with a switch, please cover the lights with a piece of cloth or paper bag.

No Flash Photography.
The bright strobe of a camera flash can destroy everyone's night vision for 45 minutes to an hour. Photographs taken under dark conditions, even with a flash, generally do not turn out well, anyway, unless you're using special film and camera settings.

Watch Your Children.
Children are always welcome at all of our star parties. But, since the observing field is dark, small children are more likely to trip and get hurt, become lost, or bump into and damage expensive equipment. . If you do bring children, be sure they stay with you at all times. If they're very small and they start crying, take them back to your car until they can be quieted down. Many children become cranky if they stay up too late, but are happy to sleep in the car if they have a blanket and their favorite toys.

Ask Before Touching.
Some astronomers may be adjusting their equipment or doing delicate astrophotography, or the telescope may not be aimed at any object in particular. So, please ask before touching or moving a telescope or other equipment. But don't be afraid to ask. Never touch any glass optical surface.

Observing at a star party.
Once the observing is underway, feel free to go from scope to scope and talk with everyone. They'll be more than happy to let you look through their scopes, and will also be glad to talk about the telescope, what they're looking at and anything else that interests you. This kind of discussion and chit-chat is expected at star parties, particularly from visitors; don't feel that you are imposing on them. Most star party attendees will "make the rounds" at least once during the night to see what others are looking at and what kind of equipment they brought; feel free to join in.

Likewise, don't be afraid to ask questions about what's in the sky, where different constellations are or anything else. Astronomers, particularly amateur astronomers, are used to questions like that and they typically enjoy explaining such things to other people.
Where it is dark and free of ambient light there is an interesting effect: even if you know the location of some constellations, you may find that under a dark sky there are so many stars that you can't pick out the constellations. In the days before light pollution, this is how everyone saw the sky, filled with thousands of stars. For modern city dwellers, however, it may take a bit of practice to find the constellations again.

Leaving a star party.
When you're ready to leave, don't just start the engine and drive off. Let others know that you're planning to leave and ask if anyone is in the middle of an astrophoto exposure. If anyone is, the etiquette is to wait until the exposure is finished before starting the engine or turning on any lights. Even just stepping on the brake will light the very bright taillights on the car, so be careful not to step on the brake while getting into or out of the vehicle.
It's a good idea to ask the organizers of the star party when most people will be leaving so you can plan accordingly. Most club star parties usually break up a little after midnight, but that varies from club to club. It also varies with the moon. If the moon rises during the night, most people will start packing as soon as they see the horizon glow that precedes the moonrise.
When you do leave, use your parking lights instead of headlights, just as when arriving after dark.

Enjoying the experience.
Most of all, enjoy the night sky and the company. While they are not loud and festive, star parties are very enjoyable social affairs that are also quite educational.
With warm summer nights ahead, this is a great time to plan to attend a star party. Contact a local astronomy club and go see all the things that are right above you every night, which most people have never seen. It's an experience you'll truly enjoy.

Please bag your trash and take it with you when you leave. No dumpster facilities are available on site.

Thank You.

We wish you a pleasant stargazing!

Back to Events page.