NSP Home Contact Us Media Kit Frequently Asked Questions
Registration Lodging Activities Site Info Prairie Astronomy Club
News Release
Seventeenth Annual Nebraska Star Party to be Held at Merritt Reservoir State Recreation Area August 8th through 13th, 2009
January 26th, 2010
Contact: Eric Balcom
402-491-3502
ecbalcom@msn.com
Omaha, Nebraska – "Got Milky Way?" For most of the United States the answer is self evident: "Of course not." Even those who live in what are thought of as rural areas outside of large cities have a hard time making out the unique swath of starlight that stretches toward the northeastern sky from the southern horizon each warm summer night. But repair to a really dark location dozens of miles from competing artificial light and you have a stunning Milky Way.
The omnipresent Milky Way is the singular most impressive part of the sky at the annual Nebraska Star Party, now in its 17th year, to be held at Merritt Reservoir south of Valentine, Nebraska during the week of August 8th through the 13th, 2010. The Nebraska Star Party, or NSP, is hosted by Nebraska Star Party, Inc., a non-profit corporation, with support from the NASA Nebraska Space Grant, the Omaha Astronomical Society, and the Prairie Astronomy Club of Lincon, Nebraska. NSP17 is expected to draw nearly 300 attendees from across the continent.
The Nebraska Star Party has gained a reputation as one of the nation's premier stargazing gatherings due to the extremely dark skies above the sandhills of Nebraska's vast Cherry County. Many daytime recreational opportunities may be found in the Valentine area as well, making the event a popular vacation destination for the entire family. In addition to six nights of amateur astronomical observing, scheduled events include observational challenges, an astro photo contest, speaker programs, a Beginner's Astronomy Field School course, an expanded science-oriented program for children, and a traditional Friday night viewing event for the public to be held on July 24th. Attendees will also have the opportunity to canoe or tube the nearby Niobrara River as well as enjoy the many other vacation activities in the Valentine area.
The signature event of NSP which sets it apart from other astronomical gatherings around the country is its popular Beginner's Field School, to be held Monday through Wednesday. Each day the class will focus on a different observing skill which attendees can put into practice in the field that evening. The Field School is designed to help newcomers to astronomy get started, or refresh the skills of those who may have set the hobby aside for a while. Participants will get hands-on learning each evening while practicing the skills and techniques presented during each afternoon's field school.
Nebraska Star Party is open to anyone interested in astronomy, whether or not they own a telescope. Pre-registration is advised, however walk-in registrations are welcome during the week of the event. Registration forms are available in PDF form from the NSP website at www.nebraskastarparty.org. The cost of registration is $40 per adult and $10 for children under 12 for the entire week, when registration is received prior to July first.
On Friday night August 13th, NSP attendees will invite residents of the Valentine region to join them for a free public viewing session on the NSP observing field adjacent to the Snake Campground at Merritt Reservoir.
NOTE TO EDITORS: for further information, the NSP web site address is: http://www.nebraskastarparty.org. The site contains additional background information plus reports and photos from prior Nebraska Star Parties. Refer to the International Dark Sky Association web site at: http://www.darksky.org for information about light pollution, the absence of which makes NSP so popular. Information about the NASA Nebraska Space Grant is available at: http://nasa.unomaha.edu. For information about Omaha Astronomical Society visit http://omahaastro.com, and for the Prairie Astronomy Club see http://www.prairieastronomyclub.org.