The APL Astronomy Club’s Friends & Family Star Party will be held on Friday, April 28th from 7:30 pm to 10 pm or so, depending on sky conditions [RAIN DATE is Friday, May 5th]. Sunset is at 7:57 and Civil Twilight ends at 8:25.  Club members will be setting up telescopes prior to that, so if you are interested in club telescopes or their setup feel free to come earlier.  Setup will likely commence by 7 pm or so.  We expect to have several types of telescopes set up.

Where: On the lawn by the Big Dish, outside the security fence, on the west side of the main campus.

Clothing: dress as if the temperatures will be 10 degrees colder than what the weather prognosticators are calling for! (standing around looking through telescopes is not the most heat-generating activity you can do at night) Hats and hoods are most helpful in keeping warm.

Star gazing (and telescope viewing) is always dependent and contingent upon the weather. Please check back to this post as the date draws near to verify whether or not the star party has been cancelled due to inclement weather (rain or significant cloud cover). We will be putting weather updates here as necessary.

APLers and their friends and families are all invited to attend. Club members will have several telescopes out for your viewing pleasure, but feel free to bring your own optics if you have them – the more, the merrier!

PLEASE: NO FLASHLIGHTS! (red light or red cellophane covered flashlights would be perfectly fine, though) Also, turn the screen brightness *down* on personal electronics.

Sunset: 7:57 pm EDT End civil twilight: 8:25 pm EDT

Moonset: ~10:37 pm EDT April 28 Moon phase:  ~8% illuminated