Book a Party

A dedicated astronomer with a telescope will show up for a star party at a location of your choosing, giving a detailed tour of the night sky. If there are things you want to see, just ask! It takes about 15 minutes to half an hour to set up, so if the party starts at 8 pm, expect the astronomer at 7:30 pm. The show will last as long as there is interest. During this time, you will see stars, nebula, galaxies, planets, and possibly more depending on the time of year and position of the moon. Ask questions! The more, the better. If you have your own telescopes, feel free to bring them out and learn how to use them.

Star parties cost $20 per person, with a minimum group size of four people. If you are requesting a star party for a school or university, or have a group larger than 10, discounts may apply. Since East Texas has notoriously cloudy weather, you can receive a full refund/reschedule if the weather report for your chosen day is cloudy the day before the event. You will be notified of this the day before your event. If you decide to have the party regardless of weather forecast, an astronomer will still show up and present the night sky (or a discussion on meteorology, if the stars are unavailable). You can view the astronomical forecast on the Clear Sky Chart. If the chart shows dark blue on the day of your party, that is good! 

You may cancel your event for non weather related issues with a full refund until four days before your event, at which point a 50% cancellation fee will be applied.

The best star parties take place on cloudless, moonless nights. The full moon washes out all of the other things in the sky, making for poor observing conditions. Likewise, it is hard to see the profile of the lunar surface when the entire moon is illuminated. Places with significant evening fog and nearby trees are also not recommended; trees and fog block the night sky! In East Texas, the Summer season typically has the best weather and the easiest temperatures to brave. 

Finally, please remember that bright lights ruin night vision. The human eye can take as long as half an hour to readjust after being flashed with a bright light. Please avoid using white flashlights; red flashlights are far more forgiving to the eyes and can be used. If you don't know how to disable flash on your phone camera, please ask for assistance.