Next Star Party

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The Eugene Astronomical Society holds monthly star parties on Fridays closest to the moon's first quarter (First Quarter Fridays), and occasionally on additional dates during the clear summer months. Our biggest star party of the year is the Dexter Star Party.

We gather at dusk or 6:00, whichever is later, and stay as long as there is interest. Everyone is welcome to come, and we usually have many different types of telescopes set up for viewing (some invented by our members!)

First Quarter Fridays were held at College Hill Reservoir for many years, but now that EWEB is decommissioning the reservoir, we're seeking another permanent site. In the meantime, the date and locations of our star parties will be announced with each star party notice. Note that we may not be able to stick with the First Quarter Friday schedule depending upon site availability.

Star Party Dos and Don'ts

Dress warmly. Nights can get chilly even in summer.

Preserve your night vision and everyone else's. It takes up to 20 minutes for eyes to adapt to the dark. A single burst of bright light can ruin that for everyone. If you carry a flashlight, use the dimmest light you can, and cover the lens with red filter film. (Red light isn't quite as damaging to night vision as white light.) Automotive brake-light repair tape works well. You might need several layers. Remember that once your eyes adapt to the dark, it doesn't take much light to see your way around--or to ruin your night vision.

Cell phone screens are way too bright to use at star parties. Please go a long ways from the group before using your cell phone.

Don't be shy; come on up and say "Hi" and have a look. Star parties tend to be informal, with several telescopes set up more or less at random and people milling around between them to look at different objects through different scopes. If there's a line behind a telescope, it's okay to ask the person operating it what that scope is pointed at before you get in line.

Ask questions! Amateur astronomers love to share what we've learned about the night sky.

Children are welcome, but small ones tend to grab for the eyepiece, often with sticky fingers. Fingerprints can ruin an eyepiece, and eyepieces can be very expensive. Before you allow your child to look through a telescope, explain to them how to clasp their hands behind their backs and simply look into the eyepiece, not touching any part of the telescope. Practice this at home with a pair of binoculars or a toilet-paper tube. If they cannot follow this procedure, please do not bring them to a star party.

Please leave your dogs at home. In the dark, they could cause accidents if they get underfoot.

Star parties are always "weather permitting." Check the sky and our weather page before you set out to spare yourself a trip if the sky is cloudy.