Stockport Observatory Winter Star Party

The Astronomical Society of South Australia (ASSA) is pleased to announce its Stockport Observatory Winter Star Party will be held on Saturday 20 August 2022.

This is a free public stargazing event held once a year by the ASSA. The event is free for the public thanks to a generous National Science Week SA Community Grant.

This is a ticketed public event with a strict No Ticket, No Entry policy.

Book your FREE Tickets at: Eventbrite 

Note: Ticket numbers are limited so please cancel your tickets if you cannot attend.

The Winter Star Party will feature a number of unique and exciting astronomical activities for people of all ages as outlined in the program. Attendees will take away a unique and truly memorable experience of our Universe!

PROGRAM: A mix of activities is planned for guests.

• 6:30pm Arrival and Check-in at Front Desk (gates close at 7:00pm)
• 6:45pm Welcome & Program Overview
• 7:00pm Laser Guided Tour of the Night Sky
• 7:30pm Telescope Viewing (all evening)
• 7:30pm Other Activities (all evening)
• 9:30pm Close

The Telescope Viewing session will start after the Laser Guided Tour and feature both looking through telescopes and also viewing electronic images captured and displayed in real-time by advanced imaging telescopes.

ASSA members will describe the celestial objects being viewed/displayed and answer your questions. Some telescopes will focus on the spectacular ringed planet Saturn and an approaching large Oort cloud comet. Other telescopes will provide views and images of beautiful nebulae, brilliant star clusters, enormous globular star clusters, supernova remnants, planetary nebulae, and galaxies millions of light years away.

Other Activities during the evening will include:

• Main Observatory Tour
• Viewing of member telescopes
• Ask an Astronomer

Feel free to walk around the site to view the different telescopes and to talk with ASSA members. And ask plenty of questions!

STOCKPORT OBSERVATORY is located in the small town of Stockport (6 kms north-east of Hamley Bridge) approximately 80 kms north of Adelaide. It provides a convenient astronomical facility away from the light pollution which surrounds Adelaide. Visit https://www.assa.org.au/stockport for more information and driving directions.

COVID SAFETY: To ensure the safety of its members and the public, the ASSA has a number of COVID-19 safety requirements in place at its events. For full details, please refer to: https://assa.org.au/COVID

WEATHER ADVICE: Excessive cloud cover and/or showers or rain will result in cancellation of the star party and the observatory will be closed (no access) on the night. If the event is cancelled, an option to attend a similar event at a later date will be offered to people that booked tickets.

Ticket holders MUST check the ASSA website at noon Saturday 20 August to ensure the event is going ahead before embarking on the long drive.

CAR PARKING: There is a small car park adjacent to the observatory site. Visitors can also park their vehicles in the street but must do so legally and without blocking access to driveways.

WHAT TO BRING:

• Ticket: Remember... No ticket, No Entry.
• Warm Clothing & Enclosed Footwear: It's most important that all attendees dress warmly for the star party and wear comfortable enclosed non-slip footwear. Expect temperatures to dip well below 10°C. So please come prepared because it will be colder at night than you might be used to.
• Food & Drink: Tea, coffee, bottled water and soft drinks will be available for purchase on site. You may wish to bring a few snacks for personal consumption. A BBQ will be in operation with cooked sausages for sale.
• Binoculars: If you own a pair of binoculars please bring them along for use under the dark skies. Binoculars are not essential to enjoy the experience.

 

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