Star parties near you
Fancy attending one yourself? These events from around the world are all worth the trip
Jasper Dark Sky Festival Where: Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada When: 12 to 21 October 2018
Expect astronauts, astrophotography and nightly guided stargazing at this ten-day star party in the Canadian Rockies.
Grand Canyon Star Party
Where: Grand Canyon National Park's South Rim & North Rim
When: 22 to 29 June 2019 Eight days of free nightly astronomy programmes and telescope viewing with amateur astronomers from around Arizona.
Cherry Springs Star Party
Where: Cherry Springs State Park, Pennsylvania, US
When: 30 May to 2 June 2019 Run by the Astronomical
Society of Harrisburg, this event takes place in an International Dark Sky Park.
Winter Star Party
Where: Camp Wesumkee, Florida, US
When: 4 to 10 February 2019 Run by the Southern Cross Astronomical Society, this star party takes place in the Florida Keys. Kielder Forest Star Camp
Where: Kielder Water and Forest Park, Northumberland, UK
When: 10 to 15 October 2018 & 6 to 11 March 2019 Kielder Campsite in the Northumberland
International Dark Sky Park hosts this twice-yearly gathering of amateur astronomers from all over the UK.
Spring Star Party
Where: Kelling Heath, Holt, Norfolk, UK
When: 1 to 8 April 2019 Organised by the Norwich Astronomical Society, this star party has over 200 camping pitches and plenty of trade stands.
AstroCamp
Where: Brecon Beacons, Wales, UK
When: 8 to 11 September 2018 & 21 to 24 September 2019 This very relaxed three-day event each September & April at Cwmdu Campsite features a central lawn where amateur astronomers chat and set up telescopes.
International Telescope Meeting (ITT) Where: Carinthia, Austria When: 3 to 7 October 2018
Held on a meadow near Emberger Alm hotel, this star party in the eastern Alps is popular with astrophotographers.
“Make sure the object is in field of view, take your time refocusing the eyepiece and then take a good, long look”
South Pacific Star Party
Where: Wiruna near Ilford, NSW, Australia
When: 2 to 5 May 2019 Run by the Astronomical Society of New South Wales, this star party is three hours north-west of Sydney.
OzSky Star Safari Where: Coonabarabran, NSW, Australia When: October 6 to 13 2018 & 31 March to 7 April 2019 This 25-acre site in remote New South Wales is the perfect way to get to know the Southern Hemisphere night sky.