340 replies to this topic

[Bob W4]

Awsome article from "Travel And Leisure"!!!  It is satisfying to know that an independent writer sees the NSP the same as we do.  The NSP is truly a special event and location.  Plus, the people and state of Nebraska have had a special place in my heart since my Air Force days stationed at Offutt Air Force Base in the Omaha suburb of Bellevue, 1974 - 1976.

Edited by Bob W4, 05 August 2024 - 02:26 PM.

[Nankins]

For those of you who have been to the Nebraska Star Party, why is the safety/security like there? Just asking because I might want to come in the future since it's a lot closer to home than the next closest star party of similar size.

[bunyon]

What do you mean by safety/security? I spent most days in town in a hotel room with my gear on the field. Nobody touched it. Most big dobs were stored every night but I assume that was to guard against weather.

But, I mean, there are never guarantees about security.

[chvvkumar]

For those of you who have been to the Nebraska Star Party, why is the safety/security like there? Just asking because I might want to come in the future since it's a lot closer to home than the next closest star party of similar size.

I felt safer than at home! Folks are super friendly and I felt zero concern about safety.

[Nankins]

What do you mean by safety/security? I spent most days in town in a hotel room with my gear on the field. Nobody touched it. Most big dobs were stored every night but I assume that was to guard against weather.

But, I mean, there are never guarantees about security.

I meant safe as in is it family friendly. I'm guessing it is given all the great promotion and positivity it gets here on CN. The only problem for me is there is a high chance any future NSP would coincide with the IFSP, which this year ran on pretty much the same dates. Honestly it took me a day or two to realize that the lowered amateur astronomer attendance at this year's IFSP wasn't all due to clouds or prior commitments. It appears that a lot of star parties occured this week.

[bunyon]

The NSP is the only star party I’ve been to that expends a lot of effort to include kids. I don’t have kids, so can’t speak to how good those activities are but they looked good. I’ve never been to a star party I’d call not family friendly but NSP seems to go a little extra to be sure it is.

[harpo80]

I felt safer than at home! Folks are super friendly and I felt zero concern about safety.

Wholeheartedly agree.  I wish I'd found it before our daughters got away from us with their husbands - they would have loved it.

[Starlancer]

I leave my equipment on the field when I head into town for the night and in 4 years never had an issue.  They have special door prizes for kids and some of them are mighty nice!  It's remote but there are plenty of people there to never really feel remote, everyone is friendly and more than willing to share and help out.

 

On a side note there is the Indiana Family Star Party, it has Family right in the name so I'd imagine they have kids activities but I have never been there.

[Starlancer]

Also another shot from the star party.

 

Part of the Clamshell nebula (SH2-119)

 

 

Attached Thumbnails

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[Deep13]

I'm home in Ohio now.
I want to thank everyone involved in organizing the star party. The food was really good and I talked to some nice and interesting folks, especially Paul, Jo-Ann, Rolf from Germany, and the couple who ate at the same picnic table as I did. (Sorry, I don't remember names very well).
I left a bit early because I was pretty tired.
Yeah, we can't control the heat or the Canadian fires, or that flipping strobe.
I saw the usual stuff in the 15":
M13, M8, the Swan, the Eagle, the Veil, M51, M31, and some other stuff.
In the 8x56 binoculars, I saw M33, stuff around Sagittarius, ngc 7000, m31 again, double cluster, m13 (which looked tiny).
I saw ngc 7000 in someone's NV monocular.
I found that visible galaxy near Stephan's Quintet, but I cannot say for sure if I located the Quintet. The sky was not clear enough with that smoke, and I was not fully dark adapted due to that strobe.
I did see a pretty faint galaxy near Ursa Major, but I forgot the constellation name.
Anyway, thanks for everything and it was nice seeing you all again.

[bunyon]

That was probably John’s monocular. He brought over Thursday night and we looked at the eagle and swan through my 15. I wasn’t crazy about the hue but the detail rivaled that of very deep photos. If I could afford one, I’d definitely have one.

[Diana N]

I meant safe as in is it family friendly. I'm guessing it is given all the great promotion and positivity it gets here on CN. The only problem for me is there is a high chance any future NSP would coincide with the IFSP, which this year ran on pretty much the same dates.

I haven't attended IFSP, but from reading the website it looks like it offers more kid-specific activities than NSP does.  NSP offers kid's door prizes, the Beginner's Field School (which isn't specifically for kids, but older kids might like it), and some kid-specific activities on Wednesday afternoon, but that's it.  There are other things families can do in the area (especially a tubing trip on the Niobrara River), but those aren't specifically NSP activities.  I AM sure, though, that NSP offers much darker skies than IFSP does (although of course bad weather can interfere with observing).

 

If you have the vacation time available, NSP can combine well with a trip to the Nebraska Panhandle, Badlands National Park, or the Black Hills.

[Deep13]

That was probably John’s monocular. He brought over Thursday night and we looked at the eagle and swan through my 15. I wasn’t crazy about the hue but the detail rivaled that of very deep photos. If I could afford one, I’d definitely have one.

Yeah, NV rocks. I just wish it wasn't so expensive.

[Nankins]

I leave my equipment on the field when I head into town for the night and in 4 years never had an issue. They have special door prizes for kids and some of them are mighty nice! It's remote but there are plenty of people there to never really feel remote, everyone is friendly and more than willing to share and help out.

On a side note there is the Indiana Family Star Party, it has Family right in the name so I'd imagine they have kids activities but I have never been there.

They have kid-friendly activities. A Beginners' What's Up? workshop Friday and Saturday evening, space movies all night Friday and Saturday, Constellation Hunter lesson and game Friday night (used to be Sky Trekker but that is now in October with the camp Chili Supper). There's a silent auction, auction, and raffle that anyone attending the Star Party can enter into. Much of the public that comes is families. There's also kids that come for the full event with their families. And the organizers are super nice. Lots of friendly amateurs as well. Many are willing to let anyone look through their scopes and will take object requests. Some of the astrophotographers even have all of their setup in the open, computers and all, for people to see how astrophotography works. Last year the family next to me kept an eye on my scope when we left. And a fellow WVAS member showed me and others how to clean mirrors. And another person helped with collimation after cleaning plus lent me a tarp during the day to keep the scope cooler.

I would say, although I've never been, that NSP would be considerably darker. My home is darker than the IFSP, but still not as dark as Nebraska. Don't attend IFSP if you are coming for the dark skies unless you live in town and don't have skies that are darker than IFSP.

[Deep13]

Does anyone in the NSP area know if that strobe thing got straightened out?

[Diana N]

Does anyone in the NSP area know if that strobe thing got straightened out?

Yes, it finally did get straightened out (of course, AFTER the star party concluded).  It's now on the list to check prior to the start of the star party (although I'm not sure how much that will help if the company responsible for the tower doesn't act promptly when we spot trouble).