Our last few star parties have been clouded out, but we’re going to keep trying. Our next one is scheduled for December 26th, the day after Christmas. Come have a look at a present only the cosmos can deliver! We’ll have telescopes on hand to show you the wonders of the winter sky, and there are plenty of them to see.
Weather permitting, the party will be held at a new location: Emerald Park on Lake Drive, off River Road in Eugene. Look for us in the big open area on the west side of the park, probably close to the south end. This will be our first time there, so we’re not sure yet where the best viewing will be. Look for the cluster of telescopes and join us for an exciting new adventure in astronomy outreach!
Star parties start at 6:00 p.m or dusk, whichever is later. and run until we run out of guests, tire out, or dew up.
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. Be careful with your headlights — Drive in and park and shut off your lights as quickly as you can safely do so, and when you leave, drive away from the observing field, not toward it. 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.