Every summer the San Juan Stargazers have the privilege of presenting “Star Parties” on Friday Nights. A star party is when a group of people with telescopes gather to share their viewing of objects in the night sky. The monument opens every year on May 15, so our first Star Party is typically during the last 2 weeks in May. Then each month in June, July, August & September we have two Parties determined by the moon.. See our Events Page for details.
The talks are usually given in view of the pinnacles, near to our lower or upper level parking lots. Our parties are carefully scheduled so that one, each month, is close to the New Moon, which means there is no visible moon and the sky is very dark. We call these Stars & Galaxies Parties. The reason that darkness is so important is that we are, on those nights, in search of deep sky objects which include various kinds of nebula, star clusters, both globular & open and the most exciting views of other galaxies, the most easily seen being our neighboring galaxy, Andromeda, as shown below.
Our 2nd kind of Star Party is called Our Solar System or Moon Viewing, approximately 2 weeks before or after Stars & Galaxies. This is when the surface of the moon is most sharply visible. This is not when there is a Full Moon because that is too bright, but somewhere between 1/4 moon & 1/3 moon. Seeing the moon up close is an amazing experience. Through a telescope, depending on its size, you can distinguish mountains, valleys, mere (“seas”), plains & so many interesting craters. If you use your imagination, it can seem that you are walking on the surface of the Moon.
At both kinds of Star Parties we begin with a brief talk explaining what we might be seeing that night. It is important to be prepared with some background. These talks are carefully prepared to be brief but include the most important and most interesting information. All of the staff are volunteers who work very hard to do a professional job. We have posters, pictures, models and sometimes power point presentations to help explain what we are talking about.
The night of a Star Party, guests must check in & sign a waiver. Most payments are made on-line, but can also be done that evening. We do accept walk-in visitors, if space is available. There is a small gift shop where some really exceptional items & books have been carefully selected for you to purchase. All profits go to preserving & protecting the ancient ruins and improving the National Monument. We also have necessities such as water, insect repellent, snacks & other things a visitor might need.
Rest rooms are available near the gift shop and lower parking area and also by the upper parking lot near where the talk & viewing will happen.
If guests want to come early there are picnic tables to enjoy a nice meal in a beautiful setting. You can also take a short labeled hiking trail for a bit of site-seeing, using a written trail-guide & non-strenuous exercise.
This also is a wonderful opportunity for visitors to ask questions about Chimney Rock, the Ancient People or Astronomy. Our volunteers have a great deal of information in all these areas.
We begin every viewing experience by checking out the visible planets.
Each person at the Star Party is given a wonderful colorful brochure with a list & some pictures of the possible objects that could be seen. At a later time, each person can note which objects they were able to see. It is a great remembrance from a memorable night!
There are various locations where the talks can be given, depending on the weather. We never cancel our program, but make necessary adjustments for safety and comfort. Our favorite spot for the talk is to use benches near the upper parking lot (called the hura-dura) where we can often also see a fabulous sunset. If the weather is questionable, we may use covered benches near the lower parking lot. In addition to getting wet, the biggest problem is lightening which in the mountains can be extremely dangerous. It is not good for expensive telescopes to get wet, but they also have metal parts that can attract lightening. There are 4 telescopes owned by the Chimney Rock Interpretive Association which need operators. Many volunteers can bring their telescopes which are usually lined up with Glow Sticks lighting the path & pointing out obstacles. Visitors may also bring a telescope.
It is recommended that people bring portable cloth chairs for the talk and also to be used during the viewing.
Hiking around the National Monument at night is very dangerous & is NOT ALLOWED. There are sharp drop-offs in almost all directions. You may only walk from your car to the areas of the talk and telescope viewing and to the Rest Rooms. Leaving this area could be life-threatening.
Each Telescope is unique and each operator can plan which sights they will show. People walk from telescope to telescope. Sometimes several operators will have the same object so that visitors can compare. On some nights we have had a dozen telescopes in a row. Our goal is to have a minimum of 1 telescope for every 10 visitors, so the wait to view is not long. It is recommended that you talk with other visitors about what you have seen or what they might be seeing in a near-by telescope. Communication, at a star party, is very important so everyone learns the most. It is a big “group effort” for all to be safe & amazed. This is a perfect chance to ask about everything you’ve ever wanted to know about Astronomy.
THIS IS A NIGHT THAT WILL BE LONG REMEMBERED.