Organizations have cancelled or rescheduled several star parties due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In many cases, organizers are still in the process of making a decision on how and when to hold a given event. Here is an updated calendar of upcoming North American star parties and events, with a date for a final decision given when applicable.
Note: Updated weekly.
Name | Location | Original Date | Status | Decision Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Northeast Astronomy Forum | Suffern, NY | April 4 – 5 | Held online on April 4th. Rescheduled NEAF has also been canceled. | Decided |
International Dark Sky Week | Everywhere | April 19 – 26 | Held online and in your backyard. Look up! | Decided |
Midsouth Stargaze | French Camp, MS | April 22 – 25 | Canceled | Decided |
Southern Star 2020 | Little Switzerland, NC | April 23 – 26 | Canceled | Decided |
Michiana Star Party | Vandalia, MI | April 24 – 26 | Canceled | Reschedule TBA |
Astronomy Day | Everywhere | May 2nd | Canceled | Decided |
Texas Star Party | Fort Davis, TX | May 17 – 24 | Canceled | Decided |
RASC General Assembly | Vancouver, BC Canada | June 5 – 7 | Held Online | Decided |
Bootleg Spring Star Party | Harmon, IL | June 11 – 14 | To continue as planned | |
Grand Canyon Star Party | Grand Canyon, AZ | June 13 – 20 | Held online | Decided |
Bryce Canyon Astronomy Festival | Bryce Canyon National Park, UT | June 17 – 20 | Canceled | Decided |
Rocky Mountain Star Stare | Gardner, CO | June 13 – 20 | Canceled | Decided |
Cherry Springs Star Party | Coudersport, PA | June 18 – 21 | Canceled | Decided |
Wisconsin Observers Weekend | Hartman Creek State Park, WI | June 18 – 20 | Canceled | Decided |
Golden State Star Party | Bieber, CA | June 20 – 24 | Canceled | Decided |
ALCon 2020 | Albuquerque, NM | July 16 – 18 | Canceled | Decided |
Nebraska Star Party | Valentine, NE | July 19 – 24 | Canceled | Decided |
Table Mountain Star Party | Oroville, WA | July 21 – 25 | Canceled | Decided |
Oregon Star Party | Indian Trail Spring, OR | July 21 – 26 | Canceled | Decided |
Stellafane Convention | Springfield, VT | August 13 – 16 | Canceled | Decided |
Almost Heaven Star Party | Spruce Knob, WV | August 14 – 18 | Canceled | Decided |
Summer Star Party | Plainfield, MA | August 14 – 23 | Canceled | Decided |
Merritt Star Quest | Loon Lake, BC | August 15 – 23 | Canceled | Decided |
Maine Astronomy Retreat | Washington, ME | August 16 – 22 | Canceled | Decided |
Northern Nights Star Festival | Palisade, NM | August 18 – 23 | To continue as planned | First week in August |
Saskatchewan Summer Star Party | Maple Creek, SK | August 19 – 24 | Canceled | Decided |
Starfest | Ayton, ON | August 20 – 23 | Canceled | Postponed to August 2021 |
Thebacha & Wood Buffalo Dark Sky Festival | Fort Smith, NWT | August 20 – 23 | Canceled | Decided |
Northwoods Starfest | Fall Creek, WI | August 21 – 23 | Canceled | Decided |
Connecticut River Valley Astronomers Conjunction | Northfield, MA | September 11 – 13 | Canceled | Decided |
Okie-Tex Star Party | Kenton, OK | September 11 – 19 | Canceled | Decided |
Acadia Night Sky Festival | Mount Desert Island, ME | September 16 – 20 | Canceled | Decided |
Illinois Dark Skies Star Party | Chandlerville, IL | September 17 – 19 | Canceled | Decided |
Bootleg Fall Star Party | Harmon, IL | September 17 – 20 | To continue as planned | |
Idaho Star Party | Bruneau Dunes State Park, ID | September 18 – 20 | Canceled | Decided |
Alberta Star Party | Starland County, AB | September 18 – 20 | Held Online | Decided |
Black Forest Star Party | Cherry Springs State Park, PA | September 18 – 20 | Canceled | Decided |
Connecticut Star Party | Goshen, CT | September 18 – 20 | Canceled | Decided |
Hidden Hollow Astronomy Conference | Mansfield, OH | September 18 – 20 | To continue as planned | |
Astronomy at the Beach | Island Lake State Recreation Area, MI | September 25 – 26 | Held online | Decided |
International Observe the Moon Night | Everywhere! | September 26 | To continue as planned | |
NOVAC Star Gaze | C.M. Crockett Park, VA | October 5 | Canceled | Decided |
Pennyrile Stargaze | Dawson Springs, KY | October 10 – 18 | To continue as planned | |
Enchanted Skies Star Party | Magdalena, NM | October 13 – 18 | Canceled | May hold a small members-only event. |
SJAC Fall Star Party | Belleplain State Forest, NJ | October 15 – 18 | Canceled | Decided |
Eastern Sierra Dark Sky Festival | Mammoth Lakes, CA | October 16 – 18 | To continue as planned | |
Jasper Dark Sky Festival | Jasper National Park, Alberta | October 16 – 25 | To continue as planned | |
Deep South Star Gaze | Sandy Hook, MS | November 10 – 15 | To continue as planned | |
Death Valley Star Party | Furnace Creek Resort, CA | November 13 – 14 | Canceled | Decided |
Comments
Jeff-Kopmanis
June 16, 2020 at 11:16 pm
As of June 11, 2020, the Great Lakes Association of Astronomy Clubs has decided that the Astronomy at the Beach event, to be held September 25-26 will be held ONLINE for the safety of our member astronomers and the general public. Member clubs and contributors will be presenting an exciting mix of presenations, webinars and live demos. Watch the official Astronomy at the Beach site, https://www.glaac.org/astronomy-at-the-beach-2020/ for updates as details solidifies. We expect that a preliminary lineup will materialize by the end of July. We know that 2020 will be a very different event, but we are planning to make it a special event in spite of the Covid-19 pandemic.
-Jeff Kopmanis, Secretary, GLAAC
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Jeff-Kopmanis
June 16, 2020 at 11:20 pm
To S&T editors: the published URL for this site from the magazine does not lead here.
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Mike-Dennis
July 28, 2020 at 10:55 am
The 2020 Okie-Tex Star Party, scheduled for September 11-19, has been cancelled due to the continuing COVID19 Pandemic. It will return on October 1-9, 2021.
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astrogirl13
September 17, 2020 at 12:11 pm
This is a practical question about running public observing sessions during the pandemic. For those that have decided to go ahead with their events, how are you managing public safety? E.g. if telescopes are set up, are members of the public invited to look through them? If so, what steps are taken to disinfect eyepieces between viewers? How are you managing social distancing in lines at the scopes? Given that we will likely be in this situation for the foreseeable future, I'm interested in seeing how we can move forward in a way that keeps everyone safe. Thank you!
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