15 replies to this topic

[GabeRossi]

Hello,

 

I am new to the forums and am looking to find or start a star party in South Florida. I am located in the Pompano Beach area but would like to start or find a star party that goes to the Big Cypress reserve down south/west. I would love to get together with other enthusiasts. I would like to figure out the best time of year to go and plan it out. 

 

If there is already one that exists then please chime in and let me know. 

[GoldSpider]

The Winter Star Party would be fairly local.

[drd715]

Check out SCAS -Southern Cross Astronomical Society-  also not too far from pompano beach is Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park,  an active dark sky astronomy destination.   Locally every Saturday the fort Lauderdale club meets at Markum Park.  Some Fort Lauderdale club members go out to a recreational area on sr27 north of hwy 75 and just off 27 to the west.  Expeditions to the everglades are occasionally arranged privately between SCAS  members.  A few other places "out in the swamp"  are occasionally visited. Winter is preferred in South Florida as the bugs can be a bit troublesome especially in the summer if it rains.

[drd715]

The Winter Star Party would be fairly local.

You can also camp at the boyscout camp Sawyer  privately (paid entry and scout rules/restrictions)  .  Contact and rules online.

[drd715]

SCAS has an active What's up app page that members use to arrange night meet ups at  some of the everglades parks. Most of these are short notice arrangements. 

[GabeRossi]

The Winter Star Party would be fairly local.

 

 

Check out SCAS -Southern Cross Astronomical Society-  also not too far from pompano beach is Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park,  an active dark sky astronomy destination.   Locally every Saturday the fort Lauderdale club meets at Markum Park.  Some Fort Lauderdale club members go out to a recreational area on sr27 north of hwy 75 and just off 27 to the west.  Expeditions to the everglades are occasionally arranged privately between SCAS  members.  A few other places "out in the swamp"  are occasionally visited. Winter is preferred in South Florida as the bugs can be a bit troublesome especially in the summer if it rains.

Thank you guys. I am a member of SFAAA that meets at markham park but not a lot of mention about trips or outings. I would love to plan a few weeks ahead to go to big cypress as its closest to me at 1:44min drive from my location. Which is very doable on short notice. 

[Napp]

Check wth the Southwest Florida Astronomical Society and the Everglades Astronomical Society.  They observe in Big Cypress.

 

https://theeyepiece.org/

 

http://naples.net/~n...84/eas/Home.php

[Jeff B1]

Hello,

 

I am new to the forums and am looking to find or start a star party in South Florida. I am located in the Pompano Beach area but would like to start or find a star party that goes to the Big Cypress reserve down south/west. I would love to get together with other enthusiasts. I would like to figure out the best time of year to go and plan it out. 

 

If there is already one that exists then please chime in and let me know. 

This may help at least for some locations:  https://alpo-astrono...Astro_Sites.pdf

[dalbert02]

Maybe not a party, but it would be cool if a couple of us got together to take some pics under the stars.  I am in Kendall area and Big Cypress is probably the best bet for dark skies.  AeroJet in Homestead is convenient but not super dark or maybe one of the campgrounds in Everglades national park near Flamingo?

[exhogflyer]

I'm in the Vero Beach area and would love to attend something fairly local.

[GabeRossi]

Bringing this back for a recent update. This weekend Feb 22 there is a Star party at shark valley. Anyone going if the weather looks ok?

Side note I would love to meet up with some other members here. Maybe let’s plan something? Saturday nights I am usually at the Fox Observatory with a couple of my scopes for the public viewing nights that our club holds(SFAAA). A Friday or Sunday evening meetup anywhere that has space for us would be awesome. I am in broward county but can travel to Palm beach or Miami dade counties. There is Harold Campbell that is also accessible. The SFAAA has permission to be out there. There is also the Atlantic blvd trail head but parking sucks. There is also the end of Loxahatchee rd by the boat ramps or airboat area. I am open to any suggestions and would love to have a little hang out.

[GabeRossi]

Is there anyone local in broward county looking to gaze this week? The nights this week are looking to be perfect for astronomy and I would love to hang out with some astronomy folks!

[santoshbadiger]

Hi Gabe,
I live in Pompano Beach and I was too planning to go out for Astro photography on March 29th. Let me know if we can meet up

[GabeRossi]

Hi Gabe,
I live in Pompano Beach and I was too planning to go out for Astro photography on March 29th. Let me know if we can meet up

Yes we can. If you would like you can come out to the Fox Observatory at Markham Park. I am a member of the SFAAA and volunteer there saturdays. Every saturday night we have a public viewing night were the observatory is open to the public and everyone can check out the big scopes we have in the observatory. Myself and a handful of others will setup our scopes and smart scopes on the concrete pad outside the observatory. There is also space in the grass surrounding the observatory if we have a lot of people setting up so there is plenty of space available. I will be there this saturday as the weather should  be perfect and they just got done trimming some trees making the view of the northern sky even better. I really want to image Bodes galaxy this weekend so I am glad they did that. I will shoot you a message with my number and you can give me a shout whenever. 

[dalbert02]

I missed these posts.  Any plans in the near future for a getty?

[kannassee]

Yes we can. If you would like you can come out to the Fox Observatory at Markham Park. I am a member of the SFAAA and volunteer there saturdays. Every saturday night we have a public viewing night were the observatory is open to the public and everyone can check out the big scopes we have in the observatory. Myself and a handful of others will setup our scopes and smart scopes on the concrete pad outside the observatory. There is also space in the grass surrounding the observatory if we have a lot of people setting up so there is plenty of space available. I will be there this saturday as the weather should  be perfect and they just got done trimming some trees making the view of the northern sky even better. I really want to image Bodes galaxy this weekend so I am glad they did that. I will shoot you a message with my number and you can give me a shout whenever. 

Well, if at least some of those Australian pine trees towards the North were trimmed, that's very good news!!!....March 29 I think the SCAS folks will have a New Moon star party at the D'Auria observatory property in the Redlands, I think that would be about Bortle 5?. But I think it is SCAS members only. In Big Cypress a very dark place is Kirby Storter in the Tamiami Trail, or Monument Lake. 

That would be Bortle 2. very dark skies towards the South/South West. And not so many bugs this time of the year.

The view towards the East its not so good, even from there you can see a little bit of the Miami/Ft Lauderdale sky glow.