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I suggest that you form a committee to pick your star party dates, that way no one person has to take all the grief if it rains the whole weekend.

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We do have a committee, and we have our dates. We've been setting our date on new moon between mid-June and mid-July for nearly the past 15 years. That gives us the least risk of rain, snow or cold up at the elevations we go to, which could be a problem in the spring, or thunderstorms and smoke from fires (California has lots of them) starting usually in August. I was asking because every year I get suggestions that we choose dates with longer nights and cooler temps. I wondered if we were just missing something obvious!

Our star party *is* at a new location this year, so we'll have to see what difference the location will make...

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. You can keep the skeeters!

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Mark Wagner

18" f/4.5 Dob
The Astronomy Connection: Observing Reports
Adventures In Deep Space: updated 8/25/08
Golden State Star Party - Northern California's dark spot.
CalStar: Fall's laid back observer's event.

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Everything depends on local conditions. Black flies make Mount Carleton Provincial Park in New Brunswick, Canada uncomfortable until the middle of August has passed so NBANB has their star party in late August or early September.

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RASC NB will be holding our star party on the weekend of Aug.1-4 this year.

NBANB will be the week after, but we figured that most people wont make that long of a trek to be under mag 7+ stars, only to be plagued by the light of a first quarter Moon.

The flies are only really bad around dusk, and they go away (for the mostpart) when it gets dark (really dark, up there, probably the darkest in eastern North America)...

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-Roger Pitre-


1 X 7 binocular

6" F/8 achro w/Chromacorr
Skywatcher Equinox 66
EQ6 Pro mount

8X42 Bushnell binos (pretty decent for 25$)
Canon Rebel XT (AKA 350D)
Tolerant Spousal Unit (AKA The Lovely Mrs. RogerRZ)


----------AJP Observatory----------

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The only bad things about mid-summer SPs is that the nights are the shortest, and it's too hot to sleep during the day. Depending on the local weather trends, either spring or fall is the best. I prefer fall myself. It's cooler to sleep in the day, cooler so the bugs are fewer, and the night is longer. Plus you can still observe the summer Milky Way, and some of the early winter skies before dawn. There is just something about seeing the Pleades rise that gives me a warm fuzzy feeling. Of course I'm a big fan of the Black Forest Star Party in early September.

Jeff

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I had someone e-mail me today saying they prefer May for a big star party. The one I am involved with is mid-June to mid-July, wherever new moon falls, due to least chance of rain, and fewer thunderstorms (smoke from fires, rain, clouds). The downside is we get about the shortest nights of the year, for a night time hobby! But we seem to get the best results. Anyone comment with some other thoughts?

Thanks,

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The only bad things about mid-summer SPs is that the nights are the shortest, and it's too hot to sleep during the day. .... Jeff

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Everything depends on local conditions. Black flies make Mount Carleton Provincial Park in New Brunswick, Canada uncomfortable until the middle of August has passed so NBANB has their star party in late August or early September.

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RASC NB will be holding our star party on the weekend of Aug.1-4 this year.

NBANB will be the week after, but we figured that most people wont make that long of a trek to be under mag 7+ stars, only to be plagued by the light of a first quarter Moon.

The flies are only really bad around dusk, and they go away (for the mostpart) when it gets dark (really dark, up there, probably the darkest in eastern North America)...

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I can vouch for the dark skies. And what a great site for a star party! A lake to swim in, a mountain to climb, and the lushest grass I ever walked on.

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Mike Roedel

It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do a little. -Sydney Smith, writer and clergyman (1771-1845)

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For those that can afford to travel across the globe, I would agree. But for us that don't and can only attend 2 per year, I'll take what I can get! CSSP is nice when it is in May. But in June it wasn't quite as pleasant, but I still enjoyed every minute of it. I still wouldn't miss it for the world! BFSP is my favorite of the two for the reasons I said above. Plus more people attend BFSP than CSSP for various reasons. It's just more fun with a bigger crowd, but my feet hurt from visiting all of them!

Jeff

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The only bad things about mid-summer SPs is that the nights are the shortest, and it's too hot to sleep during the day. .... Jeff

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Jeff, et al:

Well if everyone has their star party on the same few summer/fall weekends that means that a person can only attend one or two per year. I would like to do 3 or 4. Also, it limits the star parties to the same section of the sky. Since my favorite part of the sky is Coma/Virgo, I really like the CSSP! I’ve never been to the WSP, but I would sure like to do it some time. Observing in February in shirt sleeves or a jacket must be nice!

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18" F/5 Home-Built Dob. with DD2 Mike Dudley Mirror
Highly Modified Meade DS-16 in Roll Off Roof
6" F/15 Brass w/ D&G Lens on DS-16 Mount
DS-10 10" F/4.5 Newtonian (currently being modified) and for sale
LXD650, LX200 Classic
DayStar 0.45 with multiple ERFs
AT66ED Chrome
Denkmeier FMC
11x80 Meade, 20x80 Celestron binocs (Japan Made).
Lots of Naglers and both Ethos of course. ;-)
Gadgets and parts everywhere.
And a Wife that loves it as much as me!

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Everything depends on local conditions. Black flies make Mount Carleton Provincial Park in New Brunswick, Canada uncomfortable until the middle of August has passed so NBANB has their star party in late August or early September.

---

RASC NB will be holding our star party on the weekend of Aug.1-4 this year.

NBANB will be the week after, but we figured that most people wont make that long of a trek to be under mag 7+ stars, only to be plagued by the light of a first quarter Moon.

The flies are only really bad around dusk, and they go away (for the mostpart) when it gets dark (really dark, up there, probably the darkest in eastern North America)...

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I can vouch for the dark skies. And what a great site for a star party! A lake to swim in, a mountain to climb, and the lushest grass I ever walked on.

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Too bad it's in the middle of nowhere (the closest hydro pole is 25 miles away). I imagine that's why it's so dark, lol!

Our local club chapter has been working on making the park a dark sky preserve.

What year were you there?

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-Roger Pitre-


1 X 7 binocular

6" F/8 achro w/Chromacorr
Skywatcher Equinox 66
EQ6 Pro mount

8X42 Bushnell binos (pretty decent for 25$)
Canon Rebel XT (AKA 350D)
Tolerant Spousal Unit (AKA The Lovely Mrs. RogerRZ)


----------AJP Observatory----------

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