Requesting Programs

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 get so many requests for programs throughout Southern Maryland, we now have a waiting list. Star Party dates are often scheduled as many as 18 to 24 months, or more, after the initial request. Your patience is very much appreciated.

There are many steps required to set up a successful and enjoyable Star Party. 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 Star Party may be held at the Nanjemoy Creek Observatory (NCO), located at the Nanjemoy Creek Environmental Education Center (NCEEC), in Nanjemoy, MD, Charles County. A Star Party may also be held at another location of the requesting group's 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. The choice, though, is ultimately made by the group requesting the Star Party, with regard to ease of travel and probable guest attendance.

Please note that if a requesting group chooses an evening star party at a site other than NCO, and the SMAS Program Coordinator determines that it is not suitable for evening observing, due to the inability to turn off the surrounding lights on poles and buildings, SMAS will offer to do a Daytime Star Party, including safe solar observing.

The SMAS Program Coordinator will send the POC a list of potential dates, from which he or she may choose. A tentative main date, plus rain date, if desired, and observing site will be chosen, and the availability of each of these must be determined. Be advised that the SMAS Program Coordinator can work with only one group at a time during the scheduling process, so as not to double book any dates. This process often takes two to three weeks, or more, until all of the schedules and observing sites are coordinated.

The projected number and ages of all the guests, children and adults, 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 SMAS 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.

On the day of the Star Party, the SMAS Program Coordinator will contact the POC via telephone, to discuss the "GO - NO GO" call, based on the weather forecasts that are available at that time. The weather can change dramatically in only a couple of hours, and it is recommended that the "GO - NO GO" call be made as close to the Star Party start time as possible, while still allowing contact with all of the guests.

The time between scheduling a Star Party and the event itself can span weeks or months. Because POC's can change during that time, a second POC is recommended, to keep communications continuous between the requesting group and the SMAS Program Coordinator. The original POC must contact the SMAS Program Coordinator, if there is a change in contacts. Also, in order to maintain the continuity of communications, the POC must be on site during the Star Party. If this is not possible, due to an emergency, a second POC must be assigned by the requesting group, and the SMAS Program Coordinator contacted via telephone ASAP.

The time between scheduling a Star Party and the event itself can span weeks or months. Because POC's can change during that time, a second POC is recommended, to keep communications continuous between the requesting group and the SMAS Program Coordinator. The original POC must contact the SMAS Program Coordinator, if there is a change in contacts. Also, in order to maintain the continuity of communications, the POC must be on site during the Star Party. If this is not possible, due to an emergency, a second POC must be assigned by the requesting group, and the SMAS Program Coordinator contacted via telephone ASAP.

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Last Updated: 2/7/16