Our main goal is to share the excitement and fascination of actually seeing astronomical objects, things that the students have only seen in books. We like to explain interesting details about what we're showing, and we enjoy talking about astronomy and science in general. So, tell the students to bring their questions and take their time; it's to be enjoyed!

   Our star parties are informal. We set up several scopes and invite everybody to look at Saturn, Jupiter, the Moon, star clusters, etc. Each astronomer will talk about the object, answer questions, help pick out details, etc.

   Fees: none; this is our contribution to the schools and the students. Astronomy is our hobby, not our job.

   Available dates are on the Current Events page. Half the Fridays are Houge Park public star parties, and I'd rather not double up on those dates. It is desirable to have the moon, as the kids love it and it's a spectacular object. But if we need to use a moonless evening, we do it.

   Suggested start times are included on the above page. In early March, the clocks are advanced to DST (Darkness Squandering Time), so we must start later than may be desirable. Though 8:30 pm may seem impossibly late, in practice we have pretty good turnouts, even starting that late. One trick for parents is to get the kids to finish homework and baths before coming back to the school.

   The teacher needs to explain the activity and times to the principal and science teachers, and verify that the date isn't already occupied by a school event. (We don't compete well with sports.) Once the date is approved by the principal, contact me again and I'll put it on the SJAA calendar. I'll put out the call for scopes 2 to 3 weeks before the event.

   Someone at the school should make up an announcement to be sent home with the kids. The note (see my tips, below) should tell parents to bring warm clothing, and to leave flashlights at home. The younger ones don't get much out of it, so we suggest that the announcement is sent home with 3th grade and older. But I do not argue with a teacher who wants to include 2rd grade.

   Commonly, the parents bring the younger kids along, too, and that's okay. We try to actually discourage only the ones who are so young that they can't climb the ladder unaided.

   We usually set up on a play area, such as the basketball courts, or other open area with a view of the sky, away from outside lights. This usually eliminates the main parking lot. Since the scopes are big and heavy, we need to drive into the observing area, so, if there is a gate, someone will have to obtain the key. We need an hour before and after to set up and tear down the scopes. Sometimes the custodian has left, and I've snapped the lock on the way out. Usually the teacher or PTA officer carries the key and stays until the end.

   Regarding directions: You'll see detailed driving directions on the current events page; I make those up from maps and refine them after the first visit. But you need to let me know whether we enter at the front of the school, or from a side street. Too, it's helpful if you let me know just which streets are at either side of the school (the nearest little ones), so I know exactly where you are. Maps are excellent for streets, but are often wrong with regard to building locations.

   Regarding outside lighting: Any light that shines on the star party will interfere with viewing astronomical objects. These can be play-ground flood lights, lighted outdoor hallways, even lighted rooms with open windows. It is very helpful to look around after dark to see which lights are visible from the intended observing area. Any that show the actual bulb, or that throw a harsh glare, will be trouble.

   Please make arrangements ahead of time to have them turned off, or better yet, find out how to turn them off yourself. That way, we won't be stuck at the last minute trying to find someone who knows where to find the switch or circut breaker.

   Telephone numbers: send along a daytime phone number, and I'll supply mine. On the day of the event, I want to phone you about 11:30 to noon, as a final readiness check and to discuss the weather prospects. It needs to be early enough so that, if the weather is impossible, you can broadcast a cancellation message at school.

   If there is hope that there may be holes in the clouds, we may come out anyway. If there are other events at the school (such as science night) some of us would probably come, just to show the scopes and answer astronomical questions.

   I try to get there 90 minutes before start time, look it over, and decide just where we'll set up. The others come along as early as necessary to be ready by the announced starting time.

   Regarding worksheets, forms, and questionnaires:

   Short answer: Please don't!

   Long answer: Doing paperwork at the telescopes is very disruptive. Therefore, it is SJAA's Policy to strongly oppose the filling out and/or signing of forms and questionaires at star parties.

   The paperwork is disruptive in several ways:

• Any lights needed to see the papers will spoil everyone's night vision.
• Filling out the forms becomes the goal of the event.
• Some of the students don't bother looking through the scopes, or will take only a cursory glance.
• Students often become so wrapped up in the forms, they interrupt our explanations to them or to others.
• The astronomer's time and attention is absorbed by signing papers or answering the same assigned questions over and over.

   Since we are not school employees, it is inappropriate to make us a required part of a school course. We cannot guarantee that we'll be able to be there, nor that we will have sufficient telescopes for the students.

   If the students are required to attend, then the teachers should be there too. If attenance is to be taken, that's part of the teachers' responsibility.

   Extra credit may be a way to encourage parents to bring students to the star party. But paperwork isn't needed; instead, have the students check in with a teacher, aide, designated parent, or PTA person. Another approach is for a designated person to give out "tickets", which are turned in the next day to verify attendance. No signatures or flashlights are needed.

• Leave flashlights at home, and omit lighted toys or rings. As your eyes adjust to the dark, you'll be able to see well. Many astronomical objects are rather faint, and you need to get acclimated to the dark. For the same reason, please resist the urge to take flash pictures. We can accommodate photos during the setup period, prior to full darkness.

• Bring warm clothes -- a sweater or jacket, as the air cools quickly after dark, even after a warm day.

• Don't carry food and drinks around the scopes. Spills are a problem for the scopes and also for those around them -- it's no fun walking around in sticky shoes.

• Be careful not to touch the telescopes, especially the eyepiece where you look in. They move very easily and will lose our target. Worse, you may lose your balance! Just hang onto the stepladder with both hands.

• Toddlers are too young to understand how to look into telescopes, nor can they make sense of what's going on. When lifted, their natural tendency is to grab onto whatever is available, and that's usually the telescope. Bring them again next year, when they are old enough to climb the ladder without help.

• After we show the first group of objects, we'll move the scopes to additional objects. So, after making the rounds of the telescopes, go back again, as we may have something new. We also take requests.

Many thanks to Gary Mitchell for his help with this page.

Back to School home page. Mail to Jim Van Nuland.

Last updated: 2010 February 10, 1422 hours, pst