HOWARD

ASTRONOMICAL

LEAGUE


					HAL Website Search:

HAL Star Parties, Outreach Schedules, and Regional Star Parties

HAL's Scheduled Star Parties and Outreach
Star Party Etiquette and Expectations
Before Beginning Your Adventure
Members-Only and Impromptu Star Parties
Regional Star Parties and Astro Events
Current Year Star Party Reports
Previous Years' Star Party Reports

HAL's Updated COVID-19 Policy for Events

For HAL impromptu and member-only star parties, participants should wait for an invitation before approaching to look through others’ telescopes; respect each other’s desires for social distancing.
We are following Howard County guidelines such as: https://www.howardcountymd.gov/News021822
Face coverings are encouraged inside the Alpha Ridge HALO building.

HAL Star Parties and Outreach

HAL's public star parties at Alpha Ridge Park (normally held from March through October or early November) feature a relaxed, casual atmosphere where club members, other amateur astronomers from the area, and the public are all welcome to come and enjoy the wonders of the night sky. For detailed information about our star party viewing site and driving directions, click on this View Sites link. While most HAL Outreach events also happen during the warmer months, there are occasional winter events depending on what astronomical events may occur during that time. These include solar observations, comets, meteor showers, etc. The tables below indicate which events are open to the Public at no charge and which are for Members Only. HAL also holds impromptu for members and their immediate guests that can happen almost any night of the year. Impromptus are never covered here on the HAL website. See below for more information.

HAL's Star Party Etiquette and Expectations

For the enjoyment and safety of all participants, all members and their guests, as well as non-members, are expected to follow star party etiquette as detailed at the links below. Please download and read completely prior to attending an event.
Public Star Party Etiquette and Expectations
Member-Only and Impromptu Star Party Etiquette and Expectations

HAL 2023 Star Party Schedule

Subject to weather conditions.

Revised Version (before host/CTO assignments): 12/13/22

Month	Date	Invitees	Host	Host	CTO	Views/Events/Notes
March	18	Members	TBA
March	25	Public	TBA	TBA	TBA
April	15	Members	TBA			Lyrids meteor shower
April	22	Public	TBA	TBA	TBA
May	20	Members	TBA
May	27	Public	TBA	TBA	TBA
June	17	Members	TBA
June	24	Public	TBA	TBA	TBA
July	15	Members	TBA
July	22	Public	TBA	TBA	TBA
August	12	Members	TBA			Mercury near greatest Eastern elongation; Perseid meteor shower early Aug 13th
August	26	Public	TBA	TBA	TBA	Saturn opposition - Seelinger effect
September	9	Members	TBA
September	23	Public	TBA	TBA	TBA
October	14	Members	TBA			Partial solar eclipse from 12:00 PM to 2:39 PM
October	21	Public	TBA	TBA	TBA	Io Shadow Transit; Orionids meteor shower
November	04	Members	TBA
November	11	Public	TBA	TBA	TBA	Leonids meteor shower

Outreach & Solar Observation Events

As a part of our mission to encourage public interest in astronomy, the space sciences, and STEM education, HAL is sponsoring or co-sponsoring the following event. If there is a separate webpage with more information there will be an active link in the Event column, below.

Event	Co-Sponsor	Where	When	Host
To Be Announced	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD

A Great Place To Begin an Adventure in Astronomy

HAL members bring all sorts of observing equipment: telescopes of all shapes and sizes, binoculars, solar viewers, and astro-photography and video setups. If you would like a look through our equipment, or if you just bought a telescope and would like some help with it, or even if you are just thinking about getting one and want to check a few out before buying - star parties are the perfect place to get your feet wet.

What Will We Be Looking At?

Observing targets really cover the full range of celestial treasures including the Sun, the Moon, the planets, double stars, deep sky objects such as galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters, and even orbiting satellites and the space station.

Details... details...

Starting time is usually sundown and ending time is officially at 11pm, although on nice evenings members often keep the park open a little later. There is plenty of parking at both parks (directions) and folks can arrive at anytime. Star parties are held twice each month, March to November, on Saturdays, and are scheduled around the lunar calendar - so check the HAL Calendar for upcoming dates.

Before You Head Out

Check the weather report for Mariottsville, MD for Alpha Ridge events. If you are on the Howardastro Googlegroups list check for notification e-mails from the list. Be sure to bring an extra layer or two of clothes just in case temperatures drop more than you expect. You can't have fun if you're cold! For public star parties the show goes on - rain or shine. If the weather is cloudy or worse, the observatory will still be open and presentations will be provided on our large flat panel screen.

What is Expected Of You At A Public Star Party?

Whether you own a telescope or not, we encourage folks of all ages to come on out, bring your friends and family, and let us share with you the beauties of one of our most precious natural resources - the night sky - in Howard County's very own public parks. HAL's amateur astronomers come from all walks of life and have a wide range of astronomy experience. We all share a passion for the sky's most stunning sights and love nothing more than to share those sights with others.

All participants must read Star Party Etiquette and Expectations.

Pleave also review HAL's COVID-19 Policy for Events.

Members-Only and Impromptu Star Parties

HAL members are fortunate to have access to both Alpha Ridge and Carrs Mill parks. When select members with gate keys plan to open up one of the parks, they post an e-mail on the Members Only "HAL_Impromptu" e-mail group so that others may join. Gate keyholders are encouraged to post the e-mail announcement as early as possible prior to the viewing session. When first joining HAL, all members are Opted-Out to the impromptu notification list which is set up using a Google Group called hal_impromptu.
See How to Join HAL's Impromptu Mailing List.
Once you are on the impromptu list, you can either reply to an existing impromptu list e-mail or initiate a new one using e-mail address hal_impromptu@googlegroups.com. If you are an opted-in HAL Member but not a gate keyholder and want to attend impromptu viewing sessions, keep your eyes peeled for e-mail announcements.

Members must read Member-Only and Impromptu Star Party Etiquette and Expectations.

Note: Howard County COVID-19 protocols are in effect. Impromptu events are intended to allow members to use their equipment to observe peacefully without the expectation of sharing equipment or views unless invited.

Regional Star Parties & Astro Events

Please follow the links for the most current info.

Regional Star Party Info	Clear Sky Charts (region specific charts below)
Winter Star Party WSP Facebook page Southern Cross Astronomical Society Camp Sawyer, Big Pine Key, FL	Winter Star Party Clear Sky Chart
Chaos Spring Star Party Staunton River State Park Near Scottsburg, VA	Staunton River Clear Sky Chart
Northeast Astronomy Forum (NEAF) Rockland Community College, NY	NEAF Clear Sky Chart
Astronomy Day Northern Virginia Astronomy Club (NOVAC) Crockett Park, Midland, VA	Crockett Park Clear Sky Chart
Texas Star Party (TSP) TSP Facebook page Astronomical League Southwest Region Prude Ranch near Fort Davis, TX	Texas Star Party Clear Sky Chart
Cherry Springs Star Party Cherry Springs Facebook page Astronomical Society of Harrisburg Cherry Springs State Park near Coudersport, PA	Cherry Springs Clear Sky Chart
Green Bank Star Quest and Conference GBSQ Facebook page Central Appalachian Astronomy Club National Radio Astronomy Observatory Greenbank, WV	Green Bank Observatory Clear Sky Chart
Stellafane Convention Telescope Makers Annual Convention Springfield, VT	Stellafane Clear Sky Chart
ALCON Astronomical League Convention	n/a
RAC Summer Star Party Rockland Astronomy Club and Sky & Telescope Peppermint Park Camping Resort (in the Berkshires) Plainfield, MA	Rockland Astronomy Club Clear Sky Chart
Almost Heaven Star Party NOVAC Facebook page 18 Woodlands Way map: Spruce Knob Mountain Center Circleville, WV	Spruce Knob Clear Sky Chart
Night Owl Star Party NOVAC Facebook page 18 Woodlands Way map: Spruce Knob Mountain Center Circleville, WV	Spruce Knob Clear Sky Chart
Blackwater Falls Astronomy Weekend Kanawha Valley Astronomical Society Blackwater Falls State Park, WV	Blackwater Falls Clear Sky Chart
York Co Fall Star Parties Annual York County Star Party York County, PA Astronomical Society Susquehannock State Park, 1880 Park Dr Drumore, PA	Susquehannock State Park Clear Sky Chart
Black Forest Star Party Central Pennsylvania Observers (CPO) Cherry Springs State Park, PA	Cherry Springs State Park Clear Sky Chart
Staunton River Star Party map: Staunton River State Park, VA	Staunton River Clear Sky Chart
NOVAC Star Gaze Northern Virginia Astronomy Crockett Park, Midland, VA	Crockett Park Clear Sky Chart
Mega Meet Lehigh Valley Amateur Astronomical Society (LVAAS) TBD: Pulpit Rock Astronomical Park, PA	Pulpit Rock Astronomical Park Clear Sky Chart

Last modified: January 22, 2023 @ 18:59 EST