Outdoor Adventure USA

This weeks net will cover public star parties where you can get an opportunity to look through telescopes and ask questions about amateur astronomy. Star parties allow you to get to see some of the spectacular objects in the night sky and to experience amateur astronomy before taking the plunge and buying equipment.

We'll cover some of the major astronomy events that occur throughout the year in the South West. Many of these are held in areas that are well know to off roaders.

Next we'll discuss remote areas frequented by amateur astronomers. You can often find many telescopes set up in these areas on weekends with moonless nights especially in the warmer months of the year. While these gatherings are not always advertised as being "public" the amateur astronomers will often let you view through their telescopes and answer your questions as long as some simple rules of viewing etiquette are followed.

Here are links relating to tonight's net -

Southern California Astronmy Sites and Clubs
http://www.maintour.com/socal/astronomy.htm

RTMC
http://www.rtmcastronomyexpo.org/general.html

Nightfall
http://www.rtmcastronomyexpo.org/nightfall.htm

PATS
http://www.rtmcastronomyexpo.org/PATS.htm

Griffith Observatory
http://www.griffithobservatory.org/pstarparties.html

Antelope Valley Astronomy Club
http://www.avastronomyclub.org/

San Deigo Astronomy Association
http://www.sdaa.org/
http://www.sdaa.org/tds.htm - Terra del Sol site information

Oregon Star Party
http://www.oregonstarparty.org/

Sky and Telescope Community Calendar
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/community/calendar

Observing Sites
http://www.skykeepers.org/ca-skyquality.html
http://www.observingsites.com/ds_ca.htm

Clear Sky Charts
http://cleardarksky.com/csk/index.html#chart_list

Oregon Back Country Discovery Route
http://www.oohva.org/