August 9-11, 2024
The grounds are in a good dark valley 20 km north of downtown Victoria on southern Vancouver Island, BC, Canada. Gates will open at 2pm on Friday. Camp on the field, setup your telescope and bring binoculars to enjoy observing the night sky from a dark site. Everyone who is present is entitled to tickets for door prizes, can attend planned activities and have access to the observing field. Prizes include a telescope!
Location
- The yard of St. Stephen’s Anglican Church, 7921 St. Stephens Road (off Mt. Newton Cross Rd.), Saanichton, BC, Canada V8M 1S2.
- What3Words: neutron.servant.squirted
- Lat 48.597218°N, Long 123.455576°W
Cost: Free of charge for drop-ins! Suggested donation of $20/Adult observers who camp overnight (cash only) – one night or two. Kids camp free.
Don’t want to camp? No problem if you live in the Greater Victoria area, you can drive home after spending an evening on the observing field. Victoria is a tourist city with all manner of accommodations. Closest hotels are in Brentwood Bay and Saanichton.
Staying after dark? Please bring a red light with you – do not use white lights, including cellphone flashes!
Lots of amateur astronomers will be there to talk about astronomy and to help you observe celestial objects after dark. There will be activities organized for the afternoons. Two days/nights on the weekend – Friday Aug 9th starting at 2PM, all day and evening on Saturday Aug 11th. Camp overnight (1 night or 2), or just drop in for an evening of fun and fascination. A free event, but campers will be asked for a donation if staying overnight.
Contact – Randy Enkin – Email – mobile +1 (250) 588-4904
Schedule of Events
Friday Aug 9th
- 2:00 pm – Gates open
- Afternoon – Solar Clock, Planet Promenade, Nature Walk, Solar Viewing
- 7:30 pm – Telescope tour
- 8:00 pm – Welcome and door prizes
- 8:30 pm – Speaker
- 8:40 pm – Sunset
- 9:30 pm – Public viewing of the night sky with telescopes on the field
- 10:31 pm – Moonset
- 10:30 pm until dawn: observing! No white lights during this time, please
Saturday Aug 10th
- Morning – quiet time
- Afternoon – Solar Clock, Planet Promenade, Nature Walk, Solar Viewing
- 7:30 pm – Telescope tour
- 8:00 pm – Door prizes
- 8:30 pm – Speaker
- 8:38 pm – Sunset
- 9:30 pm – Public viewing of the night sky with telescopes on the field
- 10:46 pm – Moonset
- 10:30 pm until dawn: observing! No white lights during this time, please
- The Perseid Meteor Shower will be getting stronger!
Sunday Aug 11th
- Cleanup – everyone please pitch-in & help.
- 12:00 pm – departures by Noon please!
The night sky at this location is dark, but there is a light dome to the south from the City of Victoria. Views in the other directions and overhead are excellent, and at this time of year Sagittarius is visible in the early part of the evening to the southwest. The setting crescent moon will be visible in the evenings before 10:30pm.
Below is a photo gallery of our last star party event held in 2019 at this site.
