How to Hold a Community Star Party - On Demand
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Register
- Non-member - $30
- Member - $30
This workshop gives participants the skills to plan and run a successful community star party, focusing on education, accessibility, outreach, and strong event flow. Attendees learn how to choose a safe and welcoming site, build a simple observing plan, set up telescopes and essential gear, and communicate the night sky clearly to audiences of all ages using inclusive, jargon-free language. The session also covers accessibility practices, crowd management, troubleshooting common night-of issues, and effective promotion through local partners, libraries, parks, and astronomy clubs. Through short activities and a final one-minute showcase of each participant’s event plan, everyone leaves with practical Night Sky Network handouts and a ready-to-use blueprint for hosting an engaging, community-centered star party. Recorded as a live workshop on January 24, 2026.
Access Fee: $30
Kat Troche
Project Coordinator
Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Kat Troche is a Queens–based amateur astronomer and informal educator with the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. She’s also president of the Amateur Astronomers Association in NYC, and supports 400+ astronomy clubs through NASA’s Night Sky Network.
