For many amateur astronomers, participating in club star parties is the best part of belonging to a club. These friendly nocturnal gatherings give observers a chance to talk about all things astronomical, look through many types of scopes and show off a few of their favorite sights. EVAC offers at least two star parties each month (weather permitting, of course).

Never been to a star party? Please check out our Star Party Guidelines to help make your first star party a safe and enjoyable one. Attendance at either the Local Star Party or the Deep Sky Star Party is predicated on your acknowledgement and acceptance of the liability disclaimer detailed at the bottom of this page.

Check out our Events Calendar for a complete listing of star party dates and other EVAC events.

The "local" star party is held on the Saturday closest to 3rd quarter moon at Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park, near Superior. The site offers reasonably dark skies within an hour of most east Valley locations. A hill blocks a good bit of the Phoenix sky glow to the west, and Superior's minor glow is visible in the northeast. The star party is usually well-attended and is especially suited to those just getting started. If you are in the market for a scope, this is the place to see a variety of scopes and talk to their owners or simply get advice on getting started.

2008 Local Star Party Schedule

How To Get There

To get to the Boyce Thompson Arboretum (BTA) site, take US 60 east past Florence Junction. Continue driving past Florence Junction to Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park. The park's address is 37615 U.S. Highway 60, Superior, AZ; however if you actually reach the town of Superior, you've driven past the site. This site is 6½ miles past our old Florence Junction site, and its entrance is marked by the familiar brown State Park signs. The gate will be unlocked, but it may be closed. If it is closed, just swing it open and proceed back to the observing field.

Map to the Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park site

Detailed map to site

Detailed map of site

Click above button to download the emergency data sheet for the Boyce Thompson site

This map is a small excerpt (195 miles wide x 230 miles high) from the The World Atlas of the Artificial Night Sky Brightness. The cross marks the location of the EVAC Local Star Party site (Boyce Thompson Arboretum). This site is classified as '4' on the Bortle scale. Fairly obvious light-pollution domes are apparent over population centers in several directions. The zodiacal light is clearly evident but doesn't even extend halfway to the zenith at the beginning or end of twilight. The Milky Way well above the horizon is still impressive but lacks all but the most obvious structure. M33 is a difficult averted-vision object and is detectable only when at an altitude higher than 50 degrees. Clouds in the direction of light-pollution sources are illuminated but only slightly so, and are still dark overhead. You can make out your telescope rather clearly at a distance. The maximum naked-eye limiting magnitude is 6.1 to 6.5, and a 32-cm reflector used with moderate magnification will reveal stars of magnitude 15.5. Modest to serious impact to deep sky observing and imaging.

Deep Sky Star Party The "deep sky" star party is held on the Saturday closest to new moon at a remote site south of Phoenix. This site is darker than the local site, but is still only 1½ hours from most east Valley locations. If you are interested in deep sky observing, astrophotography or just want darker skies, this is the place for you! Since the site is fairly remote, please contact Randy Peterson or Butch Miller if you are planning to attend. 2008 Deep Sky Star Party Schedule January 5 February 9 March 8 April 5 - Messier Marathon at Farnsworth Ranch (SAC) May 3 June 7 July 5 August 2 August 30 September 27 October 25 -- All-Arizona Star Party at Farnsworth Ranch November 29 December 27 How To Get There Take Interstate 10 south to the Queen Creek Road exit. After exiting the freeway, turn right. Continue for another 28 miles to the junction with SR 84. Turn right on SR 84 and continue to the interchange with Interstate 8. Proceed west on I-8 to Exit 144, Vekol Road. After exiting the freeway, turn left. The road will pass over the freeway, then loop back around to eastbound I-8. About half way through the loop, take the dirt road to the left (do not enter the freeway). Take this road south for approximately two miles. Bear right at the Vekol Ranch sign. Shortly after this junction the road will become considerably rougher - drive with caution. Continue south for 0.9 miles. The observing site is to the left. Map to the Vekol Road site. Detailed map to site.

Check it out! Aerial photographs of the Vekol Road site. (118 KB) Click above button to download the emergency data sheet for the Vekol Road site

This map is a small excerpt (195 miles wide x 230 miles high) from the The World Atlas of the Artificial Night Sky Brightness. The cross marks the location of the EVAC Dark Sky Star Party site (Vekol Road). This site is classified as '3' on the Bortle scale. Some indication of light pollution is evident along the horizon. Clouds may appear faintly illuminated in the brightest parts of the sky near the horizon but are dark overhead. The Milky Way still appears complex, and globular clusters such as M4, M5, M15, and M22 are all distinct naked-eye objects. M33 is easy to see with averted vision. The zodiacal light is striking in spring and autumn (when it extends 60 degrees above the horizon after dusk and before dawn) and its color is at least weakly indicated. Your telescope is vaguely apparent at a distance of 20 or 30 feet. The naked-eye limiting magnitude is 6.6 to 7.0, and a 32-cm reflector will reach to 16th magnitude. Long exposure astrophotos might show some light pollution gradient, but visual observing is relatively unimpaired.