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Southern Maryland Astronomical Society |
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STAR PARTY RESERVATION PROTOCOL The Southern Maryland Astronomical Society (SMAS) conducts several Community Outreach Programs, including "Star Parties." Star Parties are free, but donations are graciously accepted and tax deductible. SMAS is a non-profit organization whose only income is from donations, fund raisers and member dues. Star Party requests are filled on a first come, first served basis. Because we have had so many requests for programs throughout Southern Maryland, we now have a waiting list. Star Party dates are often scheduled as many as 12 to 18 months after the initial request. Your patience is appreciated. PLEASE NOTE that the best time to schedule a Star Party, astronomically speaking, is the date closest to the First Quarter Moon. For beginning observers, the Moon offers the biggest "wow" factor when viewed through a telescope for the first time. Also, the First Quarter Moon is already "up" in the early evening, so young observers do not have to stay up so late. Finally, the First Quarter Moon is not so bright that it washes out the dimmer objects in the sky. During a Star Party, the volunteer members of SMAS take their personal telescopes to an outdoor observing site of your choice, to share the views of the night sky with the guests. A Star Party also includes a Pre-Observing Briefing, during which time the SMAS Program Coordinator discusses "What's Up in the Night Sky," "Astronomy Q & A," and "Star Party Safety Tips." Whenever possible, this briefing is conducted inside, but it can be done in a field, before observing, as required by the location. The briefing may also include optional astronomy projects or lessons, which may be related to a school or scout curriculum. Outdoor Observing will follow the briefing. A Star Party may be held at the Nanjemoy Creek Observatory (NCO), located at the Nanjemoy Creek Environmental Education Center (NCEEC), in Nanjemoy, MD. A Star Party may also be held at another location of your choice, such as a schoolyard or park. We strongly recommend using the NCO site, however, because it is farther away from the urban light pollution that can greatly diminish observing opportunities, and we can offer a more sophisticated observing environment, making for a very unique experience. he choice, though, is ultimately made by the group requesting the Star Party, with regard to ease of travel and probable guest attendance. There are many steps required to set up a successful and enjoyable Star Party program. Contact must be established between the Point of Contact (POC) of the group requesting the Star Party and the SMAS Program Coordinator, via telephone or e-mail. A tentative date, rain date and site will be chosen, and the availability of each of these must be determined. The projected number and ages of guests must be determined. We highly recommend that each student or scout be accompanied by at least one parent or guardian, because this is a nighttime activity. The members of SMAS must then be contacted, to determine how many will be available to volunteer on the chosen date(s). If there are not enough SMAS members available, with regard to the projected number of guests, a new date will have to be chosen. If SMAS has not done a previous Star Party at the chosen site, the SMAS Program Coordinator will try to visit it with the POC before the chosen date, to determine directions to the site itself, exterior lighting cut-off possibilities, equipment off-load access to the observing area, parking and indoor program locations, if available. An indoor program subject and observing plan will be established, based on the requests of the POC and the recommendations of the SMAS Program Coordinator. The Program Coordinator will also provide pre-Star Party information, which will be passed on to the guests by the requesting group's POC, before the day of the Star Party. ADDITIONAL NOTES:
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