Our next Star Party is on Saturday, September 12 at 7:00pm.
Welcome! Our public star parties are free, family-friendly, and open to the community. You do not need a telescope or any astronomy experience, just come curious and ready to enjoy the night sky.
Our events are volunteer-run, so we ask guests to RSVP when possible. This helps us know how many people to expect and how many telescope volunteers we may need.
RSVP for our Sept 12th Star Party!
Our public star parties are free. If you’d like to help us cover website costs, outreach supplies, telescope maintenance, and future public events, a suggested donation of $5–$10 per family is greatly appreciated. Click to donate.
Next Star Party
Saturday Sept 12th
Stargazing begins: 7:00 pm
Location: Santa Margarita Lake Park at the Marina / Boat Launch Parking Lot
What to Expect
At a CCAS Star Party, volunteer astronomers set up telescopes and help visitors explore the night sky. Depending on the season and sky conditions, we may look at the Moon, planets, star clusters, nebulae, galaxies, double stars, and constellations. You are welcome to walk around, look through telescopes, ask questions, and learn at your own pace. Please be patient if there are lines at the telescopes, our astronomers are volunteers and will help as many people as possible.
You do not need to bring a telescope. Binoculars are optional and can be fun, but they are not required.
What to Bring
Please bring:
- Warm layers, because it gets colder than you expect after dark
- Sturdy shoes for walking in low light
- A lawn chair or blanket, if you’d like to sit
- Binoculars (if you have them)
- A red flashlight, if you have one
- Curious questions for our astronomers!
We love sharing the night skies with the community. To make it easier for all, please note:
- No white flashlights
- Absolutely NO alcohol, smoking, or vaping
- No pets or animals
- No small children (under 7 years old)
- No green laser pointers unless you are operating a telescope
There is no cell service, no internet, and no power at this site. Bathrooms are located about 50 feet from the observing area near the Rowing Club.
Important Star Party Rules
To keep the evening safe and enjoyable for everyone, please follow these guidelines:
No white lights after dark
White lights ruin night vision and make it harder for everyone to see through telescopes. Please use only dim red lights after dark.
This includes:
- Flashlights
- Car headlights!!!
- Cell phones (there’s no cell service or wifi and the screen ruins night vision)
- Interior car lights (turn them all off if you can)
If you arrive after dark, please dim your lights as much as possible before approaching the group.
No children under 7 years
We love kids! However, there will be expensive telescope equipment, cables, tripods, and people walking in low light. For everyone’s safety, we ask that families not bring children under 7 years to the telescope area. Older children are very welcome with adult supervision.
No animals
Please leave pets and animals at home. While we love pets, this helps us avoid tripping hazards, equipment damage, and distractions in the dark. Thank you for understanding!
No alcohol, smoking, or vaping
Alcohol, smoking, and vaping are not permitted at CCAS stargazing activities.
Be careful around telescopes
Please do not touch telescopes unless the telescope operator invites you to. Many scopes are carefully aligned, and even a small bump can move them off target.
Location
Santa Margarita Lake Park
4695 Santa Margarita Lake Road
Santa Margarita, CA 93453
Our stargazing site is located in the parking lot of the marina and boat launch at Santa Margarita Lake Park. The park is approximately 8 miles south of the town of Santa Margarita, off Pozo Road.
Please see their website for more information on the park:
slocountyparks.com/camp/santa-margarita-lake/
Arriving at the Park
We highly recommend arriving before dark.
When you arrive at the park entrance kiosk, tell the ranger you are attending the CCAS Star Party. Star party guests are usually given access at no charge when arriving within the allowed event arrival window (up to one hour before sunset).
After entering the park, proceed straight ahead and down the hill about 1/4 mile. The road will flatten out at the wide marina parking lot entrance. The star party is located near the marina and boat launch parking lot.
The telescope area is at the south end of the parking lot, beyond the San Luis Rowing Club building.
Parking
If you are attending without setting up a telescope, please park in the northern half of the parking lot with your headlights facing toward the exit and away from the telescope area. If you are bringing a group of 10 or more people, please RSVP and let us know so we can be prepared.
For Guests Bringing Telescopes
If you are bringing a telescope and would like help setting it up, please arrive at least 30 minutes before sunset. It is much easier for volunteers to help before it gets dark.
- Please park vehicles in one row facing the lake. Make sure there’s a clear lane for the ranger vehicle to drive through from gate to gate (they do a night drive through to check in with us).
- To help prevent trip hazards, please stow loading ramps, boxes, and equipment cases inside your vehicle or under tables and tripods. We recommend marking tripod feet with glow sticks, glow-in-the-dark tape, or subtle red illumination like orange cones with LED lights inside).
- Astrophotographers may set up at the northern end of the telescope line (closer to the exit)
- Smart Telescope operators with projector screens may set up on the southern end of the telescope line. If you are using a screen or projector for public viewing, please set up at the far (southern) end of the telescope line, shield it if you can, and point it away from other telescopes. Ask a club member for help if you’re new to our star parties!
Thank you for helping us make this a safe, welcoming, and enjoyable evening for everyone!
Questions?
Please email us with your specific questions. If you’d like a video preview of what a stargazing session looks like, please visit our Instagram!