Preparing for a star party
Why do we have the instinct to explore the stars ? Perhaps it ’ s because we are made from stardust . Stargazers and astronomers will tell you that a quiet night of mindful communion under the stars reduces their stress and improves their mood and with it their blood pressure and stress-related hormones cortisol and adrenaline can return to healthy levels , not to mention their peace by Scott W . of mind . Under a dark moonless sky with
Roberts the Milky Way stretching overhead , the feeling is sacred and it makes you feel more in tune with nature . But before you drive off to dark skies , you need to be prepared to have the best experience :
Safety First Bring a friend . Travelling with and observing with a friend makes the whole experience more enjoyable and adds a layer of safety . Consider joining an astronomy club or a star party and go to their dark sky site where other club members will be observing with you . Make sure your vehicle is in good condition and is ready to drive . Make sure your vehicle registration and car insurance are up to date and within easy reach . Check airpressure and tread on your tires , including the spare tire , and that you have necessary tools to do onsite emergency maintenance . Check your brakes , fluid levels , belts , hoses , and lights . Enroll in roadside assistance membership with your car insurance provider . Carry emergency gear . Bring emergency gear for fixing a flat , jumper cables and a strong backup battery for boosting your battery in case it goes dead , and carry extra fuel for your vehicle in a safe non-spillable container . Bring road reflectors to warn other motorists if you have a roadside breakdown . Carry extra water for you and your vehicle . Bring a good first aid kit and food bars . Bring your medical insurance card and any special medications that you need . Consider a membership into a telehealth service with rescue services . Update your emergency contacts . Communicate and stay in touch . Let people ( especially emergency contacts ) know exactly where you are going , how long you expect to stay , and stay in touch . Bring your mobile phone and a backup rechargeable battery . If you are going to a remote area with poor cell coverage , strongly consider a compact satellite communicator .
Plan to stay in overnight If at all possible plan to stay overnight . Leaving your site after observing late into the night ( when usually the best
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observing conditions occur ), is not a good idea for obvious reasons . Leave in the morning after you have fully rested . If you are observing from a nearby cabin , consider laying down temporary deep red lighting ( to protect your night vision ) so you can easily find your way back . Prepare your camping gear . People camp in tents , in their vehicles , and in RVs or trailers . It is best to set up everything before you leave to make sure all of your camping gear is functioning and to prevent not bringing a critical piece that you need . RVs and trailers need to be inspected just like your vehicle . It is a good idea to watch videos for prepping RVs , trailers , and any kind of camping gear that you plan to use . Probably the least expensive but still very comfortable option is to pitch a tent . There are many options for tents , but you will want one that is easy to set up and tear down , rugged enough to last for years , waterproof construction with lots of room and storage . Astronomers also need enough room for themselves and most of their gear in case it rains .
Prepare Your Astronomy Gear Completely set up your telescope rig , power it up , and check all functions before you pack it in your vehicle . Many amateur astronomers arrive at a remote site only to find that they forgot a knob , a cable , or some other critical piece of equipment . By testing it completely set up , you will find that you have time to correct any problems . It is also a good idea to clean and check collimation of your optics . In this way you can spend more time actually doing astronomy than trying to solve problems at the site . Refrain from bringing unopened , untested equipment to the site . Inventory and bring any needed accessories : Think of binoculars , eyepieces , field flatteners , filters , dew shields , dew heaters , Bahtinov masks , extension tubes , power cables , maps , computers ( with red filter for the screen ), red flashlights , etc . Check them and make sure they work . Bring backup electronics . Sometimes electronics , batteries , and cables can fail . Having at least one layer of backup will allow you to complete your mission .
Electric Power Bring off-grid power for your gear . There are quiet and clean power solutions today to run all of your electronics for your telescope ( s ), computer ( s ), and communications . Some astronomers use small lithium-ion power banks , such as the
USB Power Bank with Red LED Flashlight from Explore Scientific . Others build home-made solutions with solar panels recharging car batteries . But if you are not into building your own power station , there are fully integrated solar generator solutions available .