Table Mountain Star Party
Table Mountain Star Party[edit]
The Table Mountain Star Party (TMSP) is an annual gathering for amateur astronomers that takes place in Washington State. The event is organized by the Table Mountain Star Party Association (TMSPA) and takes place during the week closest to New Moon in July or August.
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| Location | Eden Valley Guest Ranch Oroville, WA |
| Coordinates | 48°54′14″N 119°14′35″W / 48.904°N 119.243°WCoordinates: 48°54′14″N 119°14′35″W / 48.904°N 119.243°W ⧼validator-fatal-error⧽ |
| Altitude | 3000' |
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| Website | http://tmspa.com |
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History[edit]
In 1980, the Northwest Region of the Astronomical League (NWRAL) held the first informal Table Mountain Star Party as part of the annual NWRAL meeting. The use of the Table Mountain site for this meeting was suggested by Tom Colwell who had been using the site, along with members of the Seattle Astronomical Society and other groups, for astronomical observing. The first event was so popular with the attendees that NWRAL continued to hold their annual meetings there through the 1980's. In 1989, Thom Jenkins, then the Chairman of NWRAL, worked with Dale Fiske, John Philip and Gene Dietzen to formalize the event as The Table Mountain Star Party to host the NWRAL meeting as well as being open to the public to attend. Jenkins and Dietzen shared or alternated years of being Chairman of the organizing committee for the event, until 1997 when the Table Mountain Star Party Association was formally incorporated.
Location[edit]
From 1980 through 2012, TMSP was held at Table Mountain near the Lion Rock Campground in the Wenatchee National Forest, approximately 35 miles northwest of Ellensburg, Washington. In September, 2012, the Table Mountain Complex Fire burned over 40,000 acres of the area surrounding the Table Mountain location used for the star party. As a result of the fire, TMSPA was forced to relocate to an alternate site. The star party has been held at the Eden Valley Guest Ranch near Oroville, Washington since 2013.
Activities & Programs[edit]
Astronomical observing and astro-imaging at a dark-sky location is the primary purpose of the event, but other programs and activities are provided for both adults and children. For children between ages 7 and 17, the Student Program provides activities focused on earth and space sciences geared toward the student-learner. For the adults, the Speakers Program provides informative and educational programs by guest speakers in varying fields of specialty including space and earth sciences, astro-imaging, and many others. Past guest speakers in the program include John Dobson, David Levy, Steven James O'Meara, Jack Newton, Alan Dyer, and Terrence Dickinson being notable examples. The Student Observers Program and the Observers Challenge Program provide lists of astronomical objects to locate and view, with an Observers Pin awarded to those that complete the list(s). Owning a telescope is not required to attend TMSP, as there are many attendees who enjoy "sharing the view" through their telescopes with fellow attendees. The Telescope Building Program offers kits for small telescopes that can be purchased, built and used during the star party.
Amenities & Services[edit]
Attendees camp in tents, trailers and recreational vehicles for the event. Basic amenities such as portable toilets are provided. Food service is provided and some meals can only be pre-purchased with registration, while other food and snacks are always available. Vendors in attendance provide a variety of goods including apparel, telescopes, eyepieces and other astronomical gear.
Organization[edit]
TMSPA is currently incorporated as a Not for Profit organization in Washington State. It is governed by a Board of Directors, consisting of eight to twelve Directors and a number of Associate Directors. Each is responsible for a particular aspect of the operation of the organization and the event. Normal organizational positions such as Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and so forth are occupied by Directors.
External Links[edit]
Official Table Mountain Star Party website.
Northwest Region of the Astronomical League website.
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