5 replies to this topic

[BarrySimon615]

Anybody know anything about this - Dark Sky Festival in Arkansas.  I just stumbled across this a few hours ago.  History, darkness of their skies, etc.?  Len Philpot is trying to ferret out some information as well.

 

https://darkskyarkan...arkskyfestival/

 

Barry Simon

Edited by BarrySimon615, 02 September 2024 - 06:30 PM.

[Stellar1]

They had me at “solar marshmallows” Im in.

[SNH]

Anybody know anything about this - Dark Sky Festival in Arkansas.  I just stumbled across this a few hours ago.  History, darkness of their skies, etc.?  Len Philpot is trying to ferret out some information as well.

 

https://darkskyarkan...arkskyfestival/

 

Barry Simon

I'm hoping to attend. It would be my first time, though. Since I live in the "area", I'm expecting the skies to be a little darker than mine and hope to get 21.5 mpsas on my SkyQualityMeter. This will be their third year and it takes place in or very near the Buffalo National River, which is Arkansas' first International Dark Sky Park. Registration is dirt cheap. I'll probably go for two nights if I can and stay at a motel south of there in Clinton (35 min drive). By the end of September, the nights are near perfect for observing around here with Gulf Moisture finally having retreated back to the Swamps.

 

Scott H.

[lphilpot]

My speculation based on nothing more than what I read on the website:

• This is Public with a capital P: 99% outreach, with apparently only a private telescope area not available to the public. They're targeting the public and especially kids.
   
• The days are apparently full of festival-like activities for the public.
   
• The camping areas on-site appear to be primitive, unless I've overlooked something (no campfires, no water, no power except at the pavilion, no showers, no toilets?). So if you don't like that, you're on your own for lodging.

At least that's how it looks to me based on the website but if anyone has attended I'd be interested to know. It doesn't "feel" like a typical star party to me.

 

??

[SNH]

Can't lie. Even though I've never attended and only learned of it myself, Len seems to have done a decent job grasping what I also got from the website. More public outreach than a die-hard star party. Still, I'd like to go to meet their keynote speaker and have her sign my Hubble image of M33!

 

Scott H.

[edwincjones]

I have not attended-yet,

but sounds like a very good event,

in an outstanding location

 

(Buffalo National River. com)

 

edj

Edited by edwincjones, 12 September 2024 - 05:17 AM.