Get your 2024 Banquet tickets!

It is that time to come together for a night of community, recognition, and celebration of a great year ahead of us. Click here!

2022 SAS Brooks Memorial State Park Star Party (July)

Details

Public

Type: Star Party

Keywords: Brooks Memorial State Park Star Party Near Goldendale At Brooks Memorial State Park Columbia River Stone Henge No White Lights

Held on: Jul 21, 2022 (Thu) at 04:00 PM to Jul 25, 2022 (Mon) at 12:00 PM

Sunset Times:

  • Official at 08:44 PM
  • Civil at 09:20 PM
  • Nautical at 10:07 PM
  • Astronomical at 11:05 PM

Lunar Phase:

Location: 2465 Highway 97 Goldendale, WA 98620

Event Coordinator: Alan Spurgeon

Overview

What to expect:

Join us for an annual tradition of stargazing from one of the darkest spots in Washington State. This year we are hosting four star parties at Brooks Memorial State Park  near but not in Goldendale, WA. One Brooks Memorial Star Party will be held in each of the summer months of June, July, August, and September of 2022.

One note to clarify:  Although there is camping, this event is first and foremost a Star Party for SAS Members and guests to enjoy. This is an event for new astronomers and veterans to get together to share a love of the night sky and all that it contains.

Please see below for more information as we hope you can join!

Map

Latitude 45.950235, Longitude -120.6659393

More Information

This event is free for SAS members. We invite guests who have a love for the hobby of astronomy, provided that they pay a $10.00 fee and sign a Waiver of Liability against any injurious event at the Star Party.

Because the site has already been booked and paid for by the SAS, there is no need for additional registering or reservations. Please show up at the group campsite located at Brooks. You can choose to stay for one night or all nights of the event.

While this is a campground please remember first and foremost this event is for stargazing. Driving in and out of the campground during dark hours is frowned upon. Because the campsite has no paved roads and there may be pets and children present please drive no faster than 5mph in the group campground. This will help keep dust from being kicked up and landing on telescopes..

New members and guests are strongly encouraged to bring what telescope equipment that they have to share, if they wish, with other new people. Keep in mind that many of the members will be doing imaging and as such, no white lights on the observing field, red lights only. As any Star Party, there are some protocols to keep in mind.

The group campsite does have potable water from 2 spigots and 2 pit toilets. There are paid showers available in the individual campground across the highway. Just up the road is a coffee shop that sells pasteries. For supplies the town of Goldendale is a short drive down the road where you can get gas, groceries, and find numerous restaurants plus the Goldendale Observatory!

Closer to the Columbia river are numerous wineries, the Maryhill Museum of Art, and the incredible Stonehinge WWI Memorial.

Other Key Info:

  • Check in with the event coordinator when you arrive. Please try to arrive in daylight.
  • If one comes into the park after dark, they need to park outside the observing field and bring their equipment in (It will help everyone if everybody plans to arrive in the daytime)
  • No laser lights, no campfires. Gas stoves are ok for cooking.
  • Brooks Memorial is near a wooded area and also some Marshland, that may invite mosquitos and yellow jackets to share in the experience, so be prepared for that. Some years it is not a problem, and some years it is.
  • It gets chilly at night at Brooks even in mid summer so pack warm clothes. Occassional thunderstorms have also been known to pass though.
  • Standard star party etiquette is expected (red lights only, no loud noise, no pets on leashes).
  • Saturday evening we often have an informal potluck if you’d like to join in with something to share
  • Although no formal registration is needed, we would appreciate a heads up if you plan on attending so we can welcome you. Feel free to contact the event coordinator.
  • Here is a map of Brooks Memorial State Park including our Group 1 Campsite

 

We hope this clarifies what the event at Brooks is about.
Hope to see you there.

Announcements

Other Star Party Events

  • Previous Star Party

  • JUL
    16

    Bonney Lake Star Gazing

    Sat at 08:00 PM
    Open to Public

    This BL - Star Gazing (star party event) scheduled for Jul 16, 2022, 08:00 PM is cancelled due to inclement weather. Sorry about that. We will try again next month. There are a lot of other star parties coming up the next 2 weekends. plus the big Brooks Memorial multi-night event next weekend.

    over 1 year ago

    Cancellation

    This BL - Star Gazing (star party event) scheduled for Jul 16, 2022, 08:00 PM is cancelled due to inclement weather. Sorry about that. We will try again next month. There are a lot of other star parties coming up the next 2 weekends. plus the big Brooks Memorial multi-night event next weekend.

    3 attending
  • Next Star Party

  • JUL
    30

    Rattlesnake Ledge Trailhead Star Party

    Sat at 08:00 PM
    SAS Members Only

    This Rattlesnake Ledge Trailhead Star Party is reserved for SAS members-only and closed to the public. (A star party in nearby Snoqualmie Point Park is open on this same night to the public.) For SAS members, many of whom are very experienced observers, this members-only star party will offer an opportunity to interact and thereby enrich observing experience by learning from each other. That learning and interaction will ultimately benefit all future SAS members, new and experienced ... more

    7 attending