Star party
 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(October 2009) |
Astar partyis a gathering ofamateur astronomersfor the purpose of observingobjectsand events in thesky.Local star parties may be one-night affairs, but larger events can last a week or longer and attract hundreds or even thousands of participants. Many astronomy clubs have monthly star parties during the warmer months. Large regional star parties are held annually and are an important part of thehobbyof amateur astronomy. A naturally dark site away fromlight pollutionis typical.
Participants bringtelescopesandbinocularsof all types and sizes and spend the nights observing astronomical objects such asplanets,comets,stars,anddeep-sky objectstogether.AstrophotographyandCCD imagingare also very popular. At larger star parties, lectures, swap meets, exhibitions ofhome-built telescopes,contests, tours, raffles, and other similar activities are common. Commercial vendors selling a variety of astronomical equipment may also be present. As with other hobbyist gatherings, much camaraderie and discussion of various aspects of the hobby occurs at any star party.
History[edit]
The idea of a star party is not new and allegedly goes back at least as far asGeorge III of the United Kingdom,who was passionately interested inastronomyandmathematics.[1][2]On nights when poor weather blocked the view of the real stars and planets, attendants are said to have hung paper lanterns marked with drawings in the trees around the royal palace to provide something else for the King and his guests to spot through their telescopes.
Public star parties[edit]
Star parties whose focus is on bringing the stars to the people are often staged in urban areas where people congregate in large numbers. This is in contrast to star parties typically held in remote dark-sky areas more conducive to stargazing.
In the US, notable star parties include the annualWinter Star Party,held in the Florida Keys; theMid Atlantic Star Party,held on the east coast of the United States; theOregon Star Party;theStellafane Convention,held in Vermont; theTexas Star Party,held in west Texas; and the Okie-Tex Star Party, held near Kenton, Oklahoma. In Canada, Starfest, held near Ayton, Ontario, is organized by theNorth York Astronomical Association.In the United Kingdom, notable annual star parties include the Spring[1]and Autumn[2]Equinox star parties held at Kelling Heath Holiday Park[3]and Kielder[4]in Northumbria. In Australia, theSouth Pacific Star Partyis held each year. In Sri Lanka,Star Party Sri Lankais held annually at theUniversity of Peradeniyapremises.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^The King's AstronomerArchived2007-11-16 at theWayback MachineRetrieved 2007-12-12
- ^George III biography pageRetrieved 2007-12-12
External links[edit]
- Astronomy Event Calendar atSky and TelescopeWebsite
- List of star parties in North America with astronomy-weather forecasts
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