You must agree to follow these rules in order to participate in our observing sessions. Plus, if you want to make friends instead of enemies at a star party or you don't want to pack up before the night is through because your spiffy new Hawaiian shirt isn't rated for a -15° wind chill, there are a few tips below to help you avoid that awkward moment when 57 astronomers yell at you to turn off that white light!

There's a lot to read here, but it's worth the time. Everything on this page comes from other astronomers' experiences and lessons learned...some painfully. Please don't hesitate to ask questions if anything is unclear.

Rules

• Be on time. Double-check the starting time of the event in the calendar. Just because it was 8:00 in the Summer doesn't mean it will always be at that time. Event times change with the seasons or the host's preference.
  
  
• The host will lock the gate within 15 minutes of the start time of the event as shown. You will be locked out if you're late.
  
  
• NO SMOKING. There are methane pipes nearby. No open fires of any kind. No matches. No lighters of any kind. No car cigarette lighters. This is for your safety and the safety of all members. If you need nicotine, get a patch or some gum, but no smoking is allowed anywhere at our observing site. No excuses. You will be asked to leave immediately.
  
  
• Our Observing Site Director or host is in charge of the observing session. The OSD will decide when the session begins and when it is over. The OSD governs the entire session with full command of all the authority of our club and helps insure proper conduct and usage of the land as described to us by King County. The OSD reserves the right to ask anyone to leave for any reason.
  
  
• Use of our observing site is restricted to posted events only. No private use of the site is allowed. It's important that all members know when they can participate. If a host uses the site without posting their event, that host will lose his/her access privileges. Besides providing safe access to as many members as possible, event registration is used for monitoring attendance. Circumventing our procedure in any way will be grounds for terminating access privileges and possibly membership.
  
  
• Do not litter! Everyone is responsible for their litter. If you bring it in, take it with you when you leave. Access to the observing site depends upon each member complying with this rule.
  
  
• Consumption of alcoholic beverages is prohibited.
  
  
• Quiet! Keep noise to a minimum. Please, no loud radios, tape players, CB, CDs, horns, yelling, etc. There are nearby residents who can complain and get our privileges revoked.
  
  
• 10 MPH is the maximum speed while near our observing field to keep dust to a minimum. Also be careful that your vehicle does not block the view of a nearby observer.
  
  
• Members are responsible for their guests. All non-members are considered "Invited Guests,'' and must be accompanied by a member and must observe our rules. The Observing Site Director reserves the right to ask anyone to leave for any reason.
  
  
• No one may use our observing site alone. Don't leave someone alone at the observing site. Dead car batteries, vandals...
  
  
• At least one working cell phone must be on-site during observation sessions.
  
  
• The last two people should sweep the area with their flashlights to see if anyone accidentally dropped something important. If you find anything left behind, contact the club President or the OSD the next day and then bring the item with you to the next meeting to be re-united with its owner.
  
  
• No white lights after dark! Use dim red lights after sundown. Use only the minimum light necessary for safety. If you must use lights, please ask first, to avoid spoiling someone's night vision or astrophoto. Shield or turn off automatic car door or trunk lights (Pull the fuses if necessary.)
  
  

Etiquette

• Bring observers only. Very small children and pets generally do not enjoy star parties, and can be annoying to others. Please leave them at home if possible.
  
  
• Park based on your observing plan. Park facing towards the exit, to avoid having to backup using backup lights. If you planning to leave early, park close to the exit. If you do not bring a telescope, park away from observers and walk over.
  
  
• Remember, your vehicle back-up lights are bright white. A good idea is to back your vehicle in at the start of the evening so that when you leave, you can pull straight out rather than having to back up.
  
  
• Plan your departure. Please announce in advance (to save night vision and astro-photographer's tempers), and have someone lead your vehicle out with a flashlight. Use Parking Lights Only – No Headlights, Please!
  

Safety

• We go to great lengths to find the remotest, darkest skies, away from lots of people. But there are still the RARE issues with animals, and even possible unexpected medical problems. By taking a couple of responsible steps these are of little concern.
  
  
• Observe with a partner or a group. There's more safety in numbers.
  
  
• Let someone know where you'll be observing from, and when you expect to call it an evening and head home. 
  
  
• If you're observing from a state park, or national park, drop by the ranger station and let them know that you'll be out and where you're setting up. Usually they'll keep their eyes open for you - and on many occasions, one or two rangers have stopped by and had some hot coffee while looking through the telescope for a bit.
  
  
• Take a cell phone with you. You can also use it to call up your observing buddies and tell them all about the fabulous viewing they're missing at that moment.
  
  
• Put your car keys in a zippered jacket pocket or attach them to your tripod. Seeing them safely locked in your car is not necessarily a happy feeling...at three a.m.

Staying Warm

• Bring warm clothes, boots and a hat. It gets cold, even in the summer in most places — especially on mountain tops where we like to hang out. It is said that you lose up to 80% of your body heat through your head. “If your feet are cold, put on a hat,” the saying goes. You can cheat a bit when it comes to dressing warmly. Bring a couple of heat packs you can get at most sporting goods shops. These small packets heat up to about 150° F and produce heat chemically. They are completely safe and although advertised to stay warm for 6 hours, they can last for double that amount. Put one in the pocket of your shirt under your jacket and you'll be toasty. The packets cost about $1 each and are worth every penny. They also come in Toe Warmer size.
  
  
• Your feet are an important part of your observing experience. Get a very warm pair of boots. Get the boots a bit oversize for extra socks (and the toe warmer heat packs). You're not hiking in these things, you're pretty much standing in one place.
  
  
• Bring an old large blanket or drop cloth to put under your scope. The first advantage to doing this is that it will keep the dust down around your scope and you'll have a lot less cleaning to do the next day. Another is that you'll be able to find that black lens cap you accidentally dropped much more easily. It's also a lot easier on your knees if your eyepiece is low to the ground and you have to kneel on weeds with stickers.
  
  
• Some astronomers on the net recommend a company that sells cold weather work clothing and they claim the prices are a fraction of what you'd pay through a sporting goods store. I don't know if that's true, but WearGuard can be found at http://www.wearguard.com, 1-800-870-6539

Power

• Bring extra batteries and, if you have one, charge your power pack before you go out. If you have a Telrad, a LED flashlight, map light, or if your scope is a battery powered GOTO scope, it's only a matter of time until you've hauled everything out on a nice dark evening, you're set up and ready to observe only to find out that something's out of juice. Even if you're OK, you can be the person who saves your observing buddy's evening by giving them a battery or two.
  

Furniture

• Consider bringing out a card table to put your charts and eyepieces on. Sturdy is good. Some have tried those roll-up camping tables and had poor luck with them. You can get something inexpensive from Target, but you may be happier with a sturdy folding banquet table.
  
  
• The fold up camping chairs that are sold now are great for relaxing before it really gets dark. They're also good for stretching out in the sleeping bag to watch meteor showers. I recommend the ones with a footrest and at least one drink holder. You can get these inexpensively at Target, Walmart, etc. in the Spring.