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Spring Astronomers week April 5th to 10th 2024

The perfect place for star gazers to gather and enjoy a relaxed social event on a site with Dark Sky accreditation.

@Haw Wood Farm Caravans and Camping

 

Our last biannual event held in November 2023 was a great success, with some beautifully clear skies giving the opportunity for this picture of the Horsehead nebular to be taken and some rare observations to be made.

We hope Spring 2024 will be as kind!

Haw Wood Farm will be hosting the next  Astronomy week from Friday 5th to 10th April 2024.

This years Spring event will be held during the Easter school holiday.
We hope to be able to attract more families and those with an interest in astronomy during this time but we will still adhere to our dark sky ettiquette.

Pitches will be available to book online.

Haw Wood Farm has been named a ‘Dark Sky Discovery Site’ due to its unusual lack of light pollution.

We have naked eye visibility 5.73, averted 5.99 and a best SQM reading of 21.75.

Very few areas of the UK have this award which makes us the perfect place to combine a weekend break with some top quality star gazing.

We welcome both visual astronomers and imagers but we will try to keep the two in different areas of the site to avoid any issues with light pollution 

If you would like to book during this week please email info@hawwoodfarm.co.uk or call 01502 359550.

Astronomy bookings will be subject to the same terms and Conditions as regular bookings. See below:

Bookings and Cancellations
All bookings must be paid for in full at the time of reservation. A full refund will be given if cancellation occurs more than 6 weeks before the arrival date and after this 50% will be given up until 4 weeks before the arrival date. Any cancellations made less than 4 weeks before the arrival date will be offered a credit note to be used within 12 months. Cancellations made within 7 days of the arrival date will not be credited or refunded.

Guidelines and Etiquette

When you attend the Star Party, consider these few simple steps to help everyone enjoy the event.

Lights – Astronomers keep lighting to an absolute minimum to help preserve dark adaption. This is necessary to see most astronomical objects which are mainly very faint. White torches are not used but red instead as the eye is least sensitive to red. Even so they should be dim not bright, just because its red does not mean any amount of brilliance is okay. Red head torches are frequently used to assist with setting up equipment at the start and finish but this should be kept to a minimum and not left on all the time. Whilst using them they should be kept pointing down not sweeping around at eye level. Equally when walking around, red torches should be held in the hand pointing downwards, walking around with bright head torches at head level invariably gets someone directly in the eye which affects night vision.

Car - It’s best to arrive before dark so you don't have to drive across the park with headlights. If it is clear and you arrive after dark, please park your car near to reception and walk to your caravan, this way your lights will not affect those people who are out observing. Please also try to avoid excessive locking, unlocking, opening and closing of car doors as this will also effect light levels due to the interior lights and indicators.

Smokers - Please be careful when lighting up, shielding the lighter flame is best - it’s amazing how bright lighter flames are and this will ruin dark adaption of those around you.

Toilet Blocks - The lights inside are left on but the windows and lights outside are screened, so as not to light up the sky.

Noise - Try to keep the noise/music down after 10pm (the camp site’s normal quiet period - please note there are a few non-astronomers on the site) and before noon the next day as people who are up to the early hours observing may still be sleeping.

Laser Pointers - These are not allowed onsite please.

Imagers are welcome provided good lighting etiquette is adhered to. Computer screens must be shielded from those trying to observe visually. It’s amazing how bright a computer screen is at night even through a tent and it can seriously hamper visual observer’s enjoyment of the event. Place a box around the screen so as to minimize the light finding its way to other observers. Use red night vision mode on the program with a red filter screen over it and minimum brightness.

Enjoy

The reason for Star Parties is for like-minded people to get together, socialize, share knowledge and enjoy the night sky from a dark, hopefully cloud free site. This is a wonderfully dark site and the Zodiacal light has been observed from here on a good night so it’s important to preserve this rare commodity in this day and age. By considering these simple guidelines everyone can enjoy the beauty of the night sky.

How to get there

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