If you have not been to this star party before, it’s a real treat and very much worth the trip. The dark skies, hospitality, convenience, facilities, and good food that you find there are really, really hard to beat. It’s difficult to say enough good things about this star party and the effort that the hosts have put into it. Staunton River State Park and the Chapel Hill Astronomical and Observational Society do a great job making astronomers feel welcome and the skies are excellent. The park is an IDA-certified Dark Sky Park.
This year’s Fall party will be held October 21-27. The park is near Scottsburg and South Boston, Virginia. It has an observing field dedicated to astronomy, excellent on-site food, restrooms, showers, and a park staff that has been extraordinarily supportive of amateur astronomy in Virginia state parks. It’s a real treat to attend this star party. Registration and more information are available at http://www.chaosastro.org/starparty/. Come for one night or all week.
A short video of a previous Staunton River Star Party is here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HW9PLaVh258&t=256s