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| Star parties are where it's shakin'! Share, show off, learn, have a blast. List of events below. Sky & Telescope photo. |
When people think of summertime, they might imagine nights spent toasting marshmallows, listening to cricket chatter, and camping out under the stars with friends. For astronomers, that latter will include pulling out a pair of binoculars or setting up the telescope to enjoy some stargazing without the cumbersome bulk of winter wear. And when astronomers camp out under the stars, sometimes they do it with dozens or even hundreds of strangers, all drawn together by a common fascination with the night sky.
Summer is the high season for star parties, when newbies, amateurs, and professionals alike gather for astronomical observation and conversation. Many astronomy clubs and observatories host single-night star parties for club members and the local public. Some societies also organize annual regional star parties, typically held in remote locations to escape the pall of light pollution, and folks from all over the country flock to these events to set up camp for a several-night stint of stargazing.
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| Cedar Breaks rangers enjoy sharing the dark night sky with visitors at Star Parties. National Parks Service photo. |
These gatherings are great not only for astronomy enthusiasts seeking kindred spirits, but also for beginners seeking guidance from more seasoned astronomers. Though a few star parties have reputations for attracting “serious observers” — like the Mount Kobau Star Party, set on a high, cold summit in Canada nearly an hour’s bumpy drive from the nearest town — most star parties are designed to accommodate everyone from the veteran astronomer to the novice. Even the organizers of those “serious” star parties encourage ambitious beginners to join them. In many cases, you don’t even need to bring your own telescope, because so many attendees are excited to share and show off their equipment and knowledge.
Here is a partial list of upcoming events through Sept. 24:
July 27 – 30, 2016
Night Sky Maine Photography/Processing Workshop w/ 3 Instructors
Acadia National Park, Maine
Taylor Photography/Acadia 3 Instructor
July 27-31, 2016
York County Star Party
Shreveport Airport North
Wellsville, Pennsylvania (near Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington DC)
http://yorkcountystarparty.org/
July 30 – August 7, 2016
Mount Kobau Star Party
Osoyoos, British Columbia, Canada
www.mksp.ca/index.html
July 31–August 5
Nebraska Star Party
Merritt Reservoir, Valentine, Nebraska
www.nebraskastarparty.org
August 2–6
Table Mountain Star Party
Eden Valley Ranch
Oroville, Washington
www.tmspa.com
August 2–7
Oregon Star Party
Trail Spring, Ochoco National Forest, Oregon
www.oregonstarparty.org/oregonstarparty
August 3 – 6, 2016
Night Sky NH Photography/Processing Workshop w/ 2 Instructors
Pittsburg, NH
Taylor Photography
August 3–7
Indiana Family Star Party
Camp Cullom, Frankfort, Indiana
www.indianastars.com/starparty
August 3-7, 2016
Saskatchewan Summer Star Party
Cypress Hills, Saskatchewan, Canada
www.usask.ca/rasc/activities.html
August 4–6
Julian Starfest
Menghini Winery, Julian, California
www.julianstarfest.com
August 4-7
Starfest
Mount Forest, Ontario, Canada
Starfest 2016
August 4-7
Stellafane
Springfield, Vermont
stellafane.org/convention
August 5-7
Dark Sky Festival
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, CA
www.exploresequoiakingscanyon.com/dark-sky-festival
August 5-7
Kejimkujik Dark Sky Weekend
Caledonia, Nova Scotia, Canada
www.novascotia.com/events/festivals-and-events/dark-sky-weekend-at-kejimkujik-national-park-and-national-historic-site
August 5-7
Butterpot Star Party
St. John’s, Newfoundland
www.stjohnsrasc.ca/star-party
August 5–7
Northwoods Starfest
Hobbs Observatory, Beaver Creek Reserve,
Wisconsin
www.cvastro.org
August 10–13
ALCon in Washington, D.C.
Northern Virginia Astronomy Club
Hilton Hotel, Arlington, Virginia
www.astroleague.org
alcon2016.astroleague.org
August 12-14
Dark Sky Festival
Siskiyou Mountains in northern California, southern Oregon
weirdmountain.org
August 26–27
Maine State Star Party
Cobscook Bay State Park, Edmunds, Maine
www.downeastaa.com/mssp_2016
August 26-28, 2016
Nova East
Smileys Provincial Park
Nova Scotia, Canada
halifax.rasc.ca/ne
August 26-28
Alberta Star Party
Starland, Alberta, Canada
calgary.rasc.ca
August 31–September 3
Northern Nights Star Fest
Long Lake Conservation Center, Minnesota
www.mnastro.org/NNSF
August 31–September 5
Brothers Star Party for Oregon Observatory
Brothers, Oregon
www.mbsp.org
September 1–5
Iowa Star Party
Whiterock Conservancy’s Whiterock Resort,
Coon Rapids, Iowa
www.iowastarparty.com
September 2–4
Black Forest Star Party
Cherry Springs State Park, Pennsylvania
www.bfsp.org
September 2–6
Almost Heaven Star Party
Spruce Knob, West Virginia
www.ahsp.org
Sept 22-24
Flagstaff Star Party
Buffalo Park,Flagstaff, Arizona
www.flagstaffstarparty.org
September 22–25
Dark Sky Astrophotography Exchange 2016
Tupper Lake, New York
apobservatory.org
September 22–25
Acadia Night Sky Festival
Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine
www.acadianightskyfestival.org
Read more: earthsky.org and skyandtelescope.com