STAR PARTIES

STAR PARTIES

First a word from our sponsers:

Star Party Etiquette
•   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.

•                           No Bright Light - The most important rule of star parties is to keep it dark. No white flashlights, no Coleman lanterns, no using cellphones or PDAs as a flashlight, no camera flashes, and especially no car headlights use parking lights.

•                           Use Dim Red Light - If you need light, a dim red light is best -- that's what astronomers use to read their star charts. A small red LED flashlight (the kind that costs $1.99 at Wally World) work great. But any dim flashlight with a piece of red cellophane stretched over the front works fine

•   Nothing in Your Hands - Some of the scopes will have open frames where the mirror is exposed. Set down anything you are holding before trying to look into the scope. One slip could damage an expensive mirror!

•   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, unless the astronomers instructs you.

•                           Telescopes move very easily and will lose what we are looking at.

•                           Your fingers will damage sensitive optics and mirrors

•                           Worse, you may lose your balance!

•                           will provide a chair or stepladder to steady yourself. Please use it

•   Bring warm clothes -- a sweater or jacket, as the air cools quickly after dark, even after a warm day. Dress for weather about 10 degrees cooler than what is forecast.

•   Bring bug repellent- We are in Florida and our bugs can be thick at certain times of the year. Please be careful when and where applying.

•                           Use sprays down wind of scopes this keep the atomized mist of the repellent off our optics.

•   Toddlers are too young to understand how to look into the telescope, 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.

•   Don't just look once -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.

Locations:

The TCAS utilizes two locations for Star Parties. Bluefield Park (Directions here) and Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park (Directions here). If you are not a member of the TCAS, please contact a member to ensure which location is being used and to confirm attendance and directions.

Star parties are scheduled for Saturday nights nearest the new Moon each month.

Remember, bug spray, long sleeve shirts, long pants, closed toe shoes, red flashlight, star chart, and binoculars will help make the evening enjoyable.

Copyright, Treasure Coast Astronomical Society, Inc. 2004

Bluefield Panoramic by Larry Schilder

	STAR PARTIES
	First a word from our sponsers: Star Party Etiquette • 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. • No Bright Light - The most important rule of star parties is to keep it dark. No white flashlights, no Coleman lanterns, no using cellphones or PDAs as a flashlight, no camera flashes, and especially no car headlights use parking lights. • *Use Dim* Red Light - If you need light, a dim red light is best -- that's what astronomers use to read their star charts. A small red LED flashlight (the kind that costs $1.99 at Wally World) work great. But any dim flashlight with a piece of red cellophane stretched over the front works fine • Nothing in Your Hands - Some of the scopes will have open frames where the mirror is exposed. Set down anything you are holding before trying to look into the scope. One slip could damage an expensive mirror! • 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, unless the astronomers instructs you. • Telescopes move very easily and will lose what we are looking at. • Your fingers will damage sensitive optics and mirrors • Worse, you may lose your balance! • will provide a chair or stepladder to steady yourself. Please use it • Bring warm clothes -- a sweater or jacket, as the air cools quickly after dark, even after a warm day. Dress for weather about 10 degrees cooler than what is forecast. • Bring bug repellent- We are in Florida and our bugs can be thick at certain times of the year. Please be careful when and where applying. • Use sprays down wind of scopes this keep the atomized mist of the repellent off our optics. • Toddlers are too young to understand how to look into the telescope, 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. • Don't just look once -**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. Locations: The TCAS utilizes two locations for Star Parties. Bluefield Park (Directions here) and Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park (Directions here). If you are not a member of the TCAS, please contact a member to ensure which location is being used and to confirm attendance and directions. Star parties are scheduled for Saturday nights nearest the new Moon each month.
	Remember, bug spray, long sleeve shirts, long pants, closed toe shoes, red flashlight, star chart, and binoculars will help make the evening enjoyable.
	Copyright, Treasure Coast Astronomical Society, Inc. 2004