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The Schedule for the Star Party will be updated as it is confirmed.

The Registration Forms are current and may be downloaded for submission.

Both registration and liability form must be submitted

A beautiful dark sky, glistening White Sand dunes and visits to two outstanding national observatories await you at the Ninth Annual White Sands Star Party.

Hosted by the White Sands National Monument, The Astronomical Society of Las Cruces, NM the Alamogordo Astronomy Club and The New Mexico Museum of Space History. The White Sands Star Party will provide its attendees ample chances to view the heavens, and take advantage of several astronomical opportunities in the Alamogordo - White Sands area.

The purpose of the White Sands Star Party is to raise funding for ProjectAstro New Mexico. The star party allows participants the special opportunity to take advantage of one the nation's premier national parks as well as share our passion of observational astronomy with the general public. Only registered participants of the White Sands Star Party are offered the opportunity to "camp" at White Sands National Monument

Registered Star Party participants will have special access to keynote speakers, camping privileges, IMAX Theater, Workshops, tours and a Pizza Party Saturday evening. Public programming will be a part of the overall schedule. Registered participants will be asked to share their telescopes during Saturday night, September 12th, for public observing from Dusk to 11PM. In keeping with the spirit of this unique partnership a night of "Astronomers Only" observing is also offered Friday night, September 11th to participants.

The Keynote speaker will be Jim Tomaka who is a NASA contractor systems engineer for the NASA White Sands Complex (WSC) Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) program for the past 25 years. He graduated from New Mexico State University with a degree in engineering. Jim has supported the over 115 Space Shuttle missions, Hubble Space Telescope, and the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) and Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) ground system integration efforts. Jim is an avid amateur astronomer and a member of the Planetary Society and the Amateur Astronomers Group in southern New Mexico.
For participants Friday night Dr. Vikram Alladi from Las Alamos will speak on Dark Matter after the Astronomers briefing. Dr. Vikram Alladi is also and active amateur astronomer.

Again this year there will be numerous prizes given away at the Saturday afternoon pizza Party including a Telescope.

COST

Individual Adult $40.00, Couple (2 Adults) $60.00, Childern Ages 7-18 $12.00 per Child. Childern under 7 Free.

Only amateur and professional astronomers and their families may camp in the Dunes.

There is a Late Registration fee , see the Registration form.

CAMPING INFORMATION

Camping will be "dry camping", water is not available within the camping area, but is available at the Visitor Center. Toilets are available at the camping area, and Generators may be run between the hours of 12:30 and 3:00 pm. Tents are welcome. Any size RV can be accommodated.

The Comet Hale-Bopp Night Thursday, September 10, 2009 in the Sacramento Mountains.

The event offers participating astronomers, their families, and the public spectacular viewing at nearly 9,000 feet above sea level. Alan Hale, co-discoverer of Comet Hale-Bopp, is the evening’s featured guest. Hale is a Cloudcroft-area resident. The cost per family is only $40. However, if you plan to participate in all three nights (Comet Hale-Bopp on Thursday, Sept. 10 and White Sands Star Party IX on Friday, Sept. 11 and Saturday, Sept. 12), you get a 50 percent discount on the one-night only Comet Hale-Bopp event, making the cost per family $20 for that event. If you are coming from out of the area and want to stay in the Sacramento Mountains, we will be happy to provide you with a list of options for lodging.

While the public is invited to view through telescopes and other viewing equipment which will be provided by local astronomers, the field closes at 11:30 to the public. Astronomers can then engage in serious viewing throughout the night. Amateur and professional astronomy is a major vocation and avocation throughout the Sacramento Mountains. The National Solar Observatory at Sunspot operates during the day. Astronomers at the Apache Point Observatory, which spent a decade photographing the universe, work through the night. Come join us in Cloudcroft. Viewing in the Sacramento Mountains is a unique experience. Your telescope will help provide you with a breathtaking view of the night sky.

For more Information, Contact us at wssp@zianet.com, Or call 505-437-2840 and ask for Mike Shinabery.

We wish to express thanks to Zianet for providing space for this web page.

And the Alamogordo Chamber of Commerce

Last Updated – August 15, 2008 MJM