Things to Remember When Attending Your First Star Party
What is a Star Party? It is a gathering of Astronomers (Amateur, professionals, other star gazers, families and friends) to share the night sky, share experiences and stellar sights. An opportunity to compare telescopes, techniques, observing goals and to spark interest in astronomy for others. It's a time to share and teach each other about astronomy, to relax and enjoy beautiful wonders of the Universe. Good clean fun for all ages.
Don't be offended by these things to remember. These are a few things that will make your first star party a pleasant experience. I remember my first star party, very well and you will, also. You are about to see God's Creation, first hand.
Star Party Etiquette
Please drive very slowly, when approaching the observing site.
Enjoy yourself, the heavens are very beautiful and are free to observe with your eyes, binoculars, or a telescope.
No Littering, We have received permission to use the Merritt Island Wildlife area. We must use and maintain the area, in a neat and orderly fashion. What goes in, must come out.
Try to arrive early if you can, when there is still some light in the sky. When attending your first star party, observe the ‘No Headlights Rule’. Look for flickering red lights. Turn off headlights and dash lights (dash lights will obstruct your ability to see where you are driving without headlights). Use only parking lights. If you can't see where to go, flash your parking lights on and off and someone will come and provide directions on parking and guide you to the viewing area. Drive slowly. For those with the newer cars that the headlights stay on all the time, Just press down on the emergency brake pedal (usually one click) until the lights go out or raise your emergency brake just ever so slightly, usually the first click and your headlights will go out. Neat trick. If you arrive late don't drive car up into the group, park your car away from the group and don't try to turn your car around because when you put your car in reverse your White reverse lights will come on.
"Remember, drive very slowly"
Let me explain what is White Light. It is any light that is from a flashlight, car headlights, interior car dome light, reverse backup lights, etc. Be aware, white light hinders your ability to see at night. The human eye takes approximately 45 minute to become fully accumulated to darkness. Exposure to 30 seconds of White light will seriously hinder amateur astronomers for another 10-15 minutes, possibly longer. Lowe's, in titusville, has small Red key ring LEDs lights that are prefect for Newcomers to astronomy.
After leaving the car, your eyes will start to adjust immediately. If needed, wait a few minutes before you start walking around. You will start recognizing objects and people's figures. Now you are ready to start moving around with caution.
The telescopes, which people have brought out to the star party, have a cost of $300 to $5000. The equipment is very expensive. So please, watch your step, when you are around telescopes. Never Touch any glass lenses. Please, always ask before touching someone’s equipment.
We ask that you leave your pets at home.
During the night, you will have people invite you to observe star clusters, globular clusters, nebulas or spiral galaxies. Don't be shy, take a look. if you don't know what you are looking at, ask questions. Amateur astronomers are very friendly people. You will hear a lot of unfamiliar terms, Nebula, M-42, Planetary Nebula, galaxy, Gobular Cluster, Open Cluster, Messier Objects (these are M numbers), NGC 4565, and so forth. Understanding these terms will come with time and reading. Before you attending your first star party, do some reading. It will help. Go to Messier Deep Space List
Very young children (under the age of 6-7) don't understand what they are looking at and usually don't enjoy Star Parties.
MOST IMPORTANT! Bring a jacket to shield yourself from the damp air and Mosquitoes. They can be bad. Bring Bug spray, and maybe a blanket . The night air can get cool especially in the winter months.
A Lawn chair is nice for viewing with binoculars or just gazing the skies. Your legs will get tried after a while. A chair is nice to have.
Alcoholic Beverages are Prohibited on the Merritt Island Wildlife Preserve.
Never be the next to the last to leave. Don't leave someone alone, at the observing site, without checking with them first. We don't want to say "remember the night, Charlie stayed the whole night at biolab because his car battery went dead!"
Enjoy your first star party. There are thousands of beautiful things to see and we want you to enjoy the heavens with us.
If you have a telescope by all means bring it.
Parts of this have been taken from Chiefland Astronomy Club's Star Party Etiquette and back issues of the Amateur Astronomy.