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The 2012 - 26th Annual
ALBERTA STAR PARTY
Public event - Open to Everyone!
Starland Recreation Area Campground
September 14-16, 2012
(early arrivals: September 13)
Brought to you by the Calgary Centre
of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada
Page last  - November 28, 2011
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IMPORTANT:
The ASP site is at the Starland Recreational Area
just north of Drumheller in southern Alberta.
at 51 39' 40.15" N, 112 54' 32.20" W
(for GPS and Google Earth users)
In 2008 the Alberta Star party moved to its current location at the Starland Recreational Area
nestled next to the Red Deer River not far from Drumheller. The goal of this move was to revitalize
the ASP by moving to a site that was drier and with better seeing. In (2009) the ASP
had an attendance of almost 100 participants - matching our current goal of having the ASP
be a small, but vibrant star party. Check out the remainder of this web page and
we hope to see you at this year's ASP.
ASP Clear Sky Chart 
The ASP is a public event open to all stargazers. Registration is required.
We look forward to you joining us for some good times and great viewing under wonderfully dark skies!
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ASP Viewing Site
Some of the attendees at ASP 2008 |
ASP Dark Skies
A Polaris "star trails" shot including a small meteor. |
(Click photos above to see a larger image)
Sponsored by:
NOTE TO SPONSORS:
If your organization would like to be an ASP Sponsor
contact David Brown at (403) 274-6723.
Note: Sponsors (organizations making a donation or providing door prizes)
are required to register and also pay the camping fee if staying overnight.
Only Sponsors may set up a booth or display at their site for the promotion
and/or sale of equipment to attendees.
Welcome
The Alberta Star Party is open to everyone - not just RASC members.
We invite you and your family to attend the 26th Annual Alberta Star Party. The star party is
hosted by the Calgary Centre of the
Royal Astronomical Society of Canada
and we feel that you will be impressed by the dark and transparent skies. This year, the party
will run from September 14-16, 2012. The Moon is new, allowing for superb deep-sky observing.
As always, participants may arrive early and stay late.
Please note that there is a Starland Recreational Area camping fee of $15 a night.
Programs
 The
ASP Scavenger Hunt will be on with 25 objects to find, so see how many you can get and earn a certificate of participation.
Click the link to open a pdf document describing the objects. And here is a sky map with the positions of the objects.
Parents are encouraged to organize events for the children. There are also attractions around the Starland Recreation Area
campground and a little further out. Take in the opportunity to visit the World Famous Royal Tyrrell Museum
in Drumheller, only 36 kilometers southeast of the site. Take a walk and explore the Hoodoos and look for fossils in the Red Deer River valley.
You can also take a swim or canoe in the Red Deer River.
Guest Speaker
To be announced.
Scheduled Events:
| Schedule |
Thursday
Sept 13 |
Friday
September 14 |
Saturday
September 15 |
Sunday
September 16 |
Morning
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10:00am-12:00pm Registration
RASC Promotional Items for sale
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10:00-10:30 am
Pancake Breakfast
and
Certificates of participation
given out |
Afternoon
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1:00pm-2:45pm Registration
RASC Promotional Items for sale
3:00pm-4:00pm Guest Speaker
- TBA -
Door prize draws will be held at the
end of the talk.
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| Evening |
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6:00pm-8:00pm
Registration
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| Night |
Personal
Observing |
ASP "Telescope
& Binocular
Challenge"
and
Personal
Observing |
ASP "Telescope & Binocular Challenge"
and
Personal Observing |
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General Information
This is a no-frills campsite: there are outhouses on site and there is potable water available which is hauled in
but there is no electrical power.
For those who plan to arrive before the ASP starts you will need to camp in Area A which is at the far North end of the campground, east of the boat launch. You can also refer to the map at the self serve kiosk where you pay your camping fees.
Nearby hotels:
Hotel and Motel accommodation is available in Drumheller
and Three Hills.
You are advised to make reservations well in advance.
The nearest food store is in Morrin, Alberta (10 Km E and 2 Km N). Morrin has limited facilities.
Three Hills (24 Km E, 7Km N) and Drumheller (13 Km E 23 Km S), are the nearest full-service communities.
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Alberta Star Party Guidelines
Everyone is welcome, however, to make the event enjoyable for all, some restrictions will
apply:
- Cover all of your white lights, e.g. flashlights, headlights, interior trailer lights, etc. with red cellophane or the equivalent; or leave them off.
- On Wednesday through Friday nights, vehicles will be allowed in (or out) until 23:00 (11:00 PM).
- On subsequent nights, there will be a black-out rule in effect after 21:00 (9:00 PM).
Entry or exit shall be done with absolutely no white light - headlights and taillights MUST be
covered and the vehicle shall be guided by a pedestrian with a red flashlight. Ideally, the
vehicle may be parked adjacent to Area A and access the site on foot. When in doubt, walk!
- Noise (quiet times) - Please refrain from playing loud music, running power
generators, or other noisy activities that can disturb attendees from one
hour before sunset until 11:00 in the morning. Car alarms that create noise
as well as initiate bright flashing lights are particularly disturbing -
please be extra-cautious entering your vehicle during these hours, or leave
your car alarm off.
- Absolutely no garbage is to be left at your campsite! Clean up after yourselves. Please put garbage in designated receptacles.
- Dogs are to be kept on a leash in and around the observing areas! Many telescope owners do not
appreciate dogs 'visiting' their equipment.
- Children are welcome at the Alberta Star Party but parents will be responsible for their child's
conduct and safety at all times.
Photos from previous Alberta Star Parties
REGISTRATION
We invite you and your family to attend the Alberta Star Party.
To register either:
- please print out, fill out, and send in the information below, or
- pay at the on-site registration desk when you arrive
Please Note:
- There is a $15/night camping fee that will be collected by Starland County
payable at the self registration kiosk (right had side of the road ~1Km from highway).
The camping fee is not included as part of the ASP Registration.
- It is not possible to reserve sites - Camping is on a "first come first serve" basis.
Yes! We want to attend the Alberta Star Party!
Sign us up for:
| Single @ $20.00 | $______ |
| Family @ $30.00 | $______ |
| Total Enclosed | $______ |
| . | # ______ - enter number of people attending
the Pancake Breakfast on Sunday morning. |
| . | |
| Please Tell Us About You! |
| Surname: | ______________________________ |
| Family Members: | ______________________________ |
| ______________________________ |
| ______________________________ |
| ______________________________ |
| ______________________________ |
| ______________________________ |
| . | |
| Address: | ______________________________ |
| ______________________________ |
| ______________________________ |
| . | |
| E-mail: | ______________________________ |
| Telephone: | ______________________________ |
Privacy Statement:
The information you submit is used only for arranging your registration.
The Calgary Centre of the RASC never divulges information to any third party.
PAYMENT
Make your cheque payable to: RASC-Calgary Centre
Contact:
David Brown
1175 Hunterston Rd. NW
Calgary, Alberta
T2K 4M9
Tel: (403) 274-6723
E-mail: 
Directions to the site
Click here for a printable map, or right click to Save Target As a jpeg file.
From Calgary: Junction Hwy 1 (16th Ave.) and Hwy 2 (Deerfoot Trail):
| 1 | N. on HWY-2 N | 36.5 km |
| 2 | Take exit 295 for HWY-72 E toward Beiseker/Acme/Drumheller | 1.0 km |
| 3 | Merge onto HWY-72 | 11.3 km |
| 4 | Turn left at HWY-791/Range Rd 281 | 13.0 km |
| 5 | Turn right at HWY-575/Township Rd 294Continue to follow HWY-575 | 40.8 km |
| 6 | Turn left at HWY-21 | 15.7 km |
| 7 | Turn right at HWY-27 | 24.0 km |
From Edmonton Southern City Limits:
| 1 | Continue on HWY-2 S | 147 km |
| 2 | Take exit 384 toward Pine Lake | 1.7 km |
| 3 | Merge onto HWY-42/HWY-592Continue to follow HWY-42 | 40.0 km |
| 4 | Turn right at HWY-21 | 51.8 km |
| 5 | Turn left at HWY-27 | 24.0 km |
From Saskatoon: From the Junction of Hwy 7 and Hwy 14:
| 1 | Head southwest on HWY-7 W toward Township Rd 364 Entering Alberta | 254 km |
| 2 | Continue on HWY-9 | 195 km |
| 3 | Continue on HWY-27 | 12.9 km |
From Regina:
| 1 | Head northeast on HWY-1 E/Trans Canada Hwy E | 1.4 km |
| 2 | Continue on HWY-11 N/Ring Rd | 6.4 km |
| 3 | Take the exit onto Albert St N/HWY-11 N/HWY-6 N toward HWY-11 N | 1.2 km |
| 4 | Take the exit onto HWY-11 N toward Lumsden/Saskatoon | 173 km |
| 5 | Slight left at HWY-15 | 55.9 km |
| 6 | Turn left to stay on HWY-15 | 66.8 km |
| 7 | Turn right at HWY-4 | 4.9 km |
| 8 | Turn left at HWY-7Entering Alberta | 144 km |
| 9 | Continue on HWY-9 | 195 km |
| 10 | Continue on HWY-27 | 12.9 km |
Planning ahead?
ASP 2013 - Sept. 7-8
ASP 2014 - Sept. 20-21
ASP 2015 - tba
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