OUR STAR PARTY THIS WEEK – WHY YOU SHOULD ATTEND IT!

Posted by as Special Events

HI RASCals –

Our annual star party is coming up this week, and I urge you to support it. Event details

Here’s why:

1.  It is unique.  It is literally an “urban star party” (“semi-urban?”)

2.  It’s close.  It’s twenty minutes from Victoria.

3.  It’s low key (it is organized by a tiny committee which barely knows who its own members are).

4.  The weather provides plenty of opportunity for excitement.  Up to thirty knots of wind has been recorded on the telescope field.

5.  Good speakers, poetry possibly excluded.  Good workshops.

6.  Lots of prizes.  Lots of prizes for the kids.

7.  It’s free (although some pressure for donations might be applied by the “committee” until the cost of the privies is covered).

8.  Camping, and it too is free.  Many of the campers will be local families.

9.  A good turnout by the locals who are eager to look through your scope.

10. It is appreciated as a community event by the community of Metchosin.

11. There is a good restaurant a five minute walk away, plus pizza.

It is easy to find things to criticize about our star party.  It isn’t dark.  The weather is unpredictable. It isn’t advertised nationally.  But I have been to every one of our star parties since 2005 (lots of members have been to many more), and I have also been to the Oregon Star Party (many times), Merritt Star Quest, the Golden State Star Party, and Mt. Kobau.  None of these akun pro korea is a community star party.  None of these is twenty minutes from my house.  None of these has pizza nearby.  And as to darkness …. I have logged many hundreds of deep sky objects from the Metchosin field.  It is certainly as dark as it needs to be to do any list of double stars, or the Messier list, or the Finest NGC list, or even the H-400 list, all of which you are doubtless working on.

Come and join us at what may be the only star party in Canada which is twenty minutes from your front door.

Event details

4 Responses to “OUR STAR PARTY THIS WEEK – WHY YOU SHOULD ATTEND IT!”

  1. Astron Omer

    Please delete number 4. That will not happen this year.

  2. Sherry

    “(it is organized by a tiny committee which barely knows who its own members are)” LOL…too funny.

    Wait…who are you?

    :-))

  3. Nelson Walker

    Tonya – There will be more details posted shortly. Non-members are welcome. The star party starts the afternoon of July 26 (Fri.) and ends the morning of July 28 (Sun.) There are two nights of observing, Friday and Saturday. There are speakers both nights, and walkabouts looking at telescopes and the constellations. Everyone makes their scope available for public viewing ……

    Some people spend the night in tents, and some come and go.

    The location is behind the Metchosin FIre Hall and District Office on Happy Valley Rd. It is know as the Cricket Pitch or Municipal Grounds……

  4. Tonya TL Alton

    I am new to the area and a star gazer. I am interested more in finding out further details about the Star Party and whether or not I need to be a member? I am unsure of date and location? If someone could please get back to me with more information, I would greatly appreciate it!
    Thank You Kindly,
    Regards, Tonya (TL) Alton

Comments are closed.