Education/Exploration/Recreation

  • Home
  • Membership
  • Club Meetings
    • Past Meeting Presentations
    • Club Calendar
    • WVAC’s YouTube Channel
  • Star Party
    • Party Schedule
    • Party Location
    • Recreation Permit
    • Party Etiquette
    • Notification Form
    • What to Bring
    • Weather
    • Objects in the sky
  • Outreach
    • Past Outreach Events
    • Library Telescope Program
  • Field Trips
    • Past Field Trips
    • Night Sky Network
  • Astroimaging
    • EAA Images
    • Astro-images
    • Astroimaging Forum
    • Astroimaging Meeting Presentations
    • Astroimaging Tools
    • Astroimaging Edc.
  • Resources
    • Light Pollution Map
    • Dark Sky Locations
    • Local Observatories
    • Astronomy Tools
    • Astronomy Edc.
    • General Resources
    • For Sale

WVAC Star Parties

Our Star Parties are open to anyone interested in the night sky. You do not need to be a WVAC member or have a telescope to attend star parties. There is no charge to attend. We ask that you read the Disclaimer below. We also have a set of etiquette that we ask participants to understand and follow at the star parties.

Join Us

Please join us with or without a telescope for a few hours under a dark sky.  Please arrive before sunset to avoid disturbing others and to see where to park. We have made a list of things you should consider bringing to make the star party an enjoyable experience.

Information about a star party is sent out by email on the Wednesday before the party. On the day of the event a Go/No-Go decision is made, and an email notification is sent out (normally by 4:00 PM) based on the weather conditions. The status is generally updated on our website. Here is the Contact Form if you want to be added to this Star Party Notification List.

Star Party Schedule & Status Notification

The next scheduled Star Party is Saturday October 7, 2023. (Sunset at 6:28 pm)

Current Star-Party Status: TBD 

Upcoming Star Party dates (subject to change) and New Moon dates are listed below:


Star Party

  • October 7, 2023
  • October 14, 2023
  • November 4, 2023
  • November 11, 2023
  • December 2, 2023
  • December 9, 2023

New Moon

  • September 14, 2023
  • October 14, 2023
  • November 13, 2023
  • December 12, 2023
  • January 11, 2024
  • February 9, 2024

Star Party Location

Our viewing location is close to the Northwest Valley and easy to get to on paved roads. It provides a fairly dark sky for astronomical viewing and has proved to be an excellent site for our purposes. The star party site is on Arizona State Trust Land and the state requires everyone to have a State Land Use Permit.

Star Party Liability Disclaimer

The West Valley Astronomy Club (WVAC) is not responsible for the property or liability of any star party participant, nor will the club be held liable for their actions or possessions. WVAC is not responsible for any vehicular damage, theft, or mechanical difficulties that may occur while attending a star party. WVAC recommends when attending events at our star party site, which is on Arizona State Trust Land, that you obtain a State Land Use Permit. WVAC also strongly recommends adherence to the doctrine of ‘safety in numbers’ when it comes to remote observing sites. In the interest of safety, it is recommended that you don’t go to remote sites alone and that someone knows where you have gone each time you go out observing.

 

  • Contact Us
  • Members Only

Copyright © 2023 · West Valley Astronomy Club