The Albany Area Amateur Astronomers will be hosting the following star parties in 2025 at Landis Arboretum:

• Saturday, Mar 29 – 8:00pm (new moon)
• Saturday, Apr 26 - 8:30pm (night before new moon)
• Saturday, May 24 – 9:00pm (new moon -2)
• Wednesday, June 25 – 9:00pm (new moon)
• Sunday, July 27 – 9:00pm (new moon +2) 
• Thursday, August 21 – 7:30pm AAAA Annual Meeting and Stargazing (new moon -1) 
• Sunday, Sept 21– 7:30pm (new moon)
• Saturday, October 25 – 7:00pm (waxing crescent moon)

Star parties are cancelled if the skies will be mostly cloudy.

Come view the stars and planets in Landis' dark skies with members of the Albany Area Amateur Astronomers. A variety of telescopes will be set up for viewing the heavens, revealing nebulae, star clusters, galaxies, double stars, planets, and other celestial objects.

General Star Party information:

• Guests of all ages are always welcome. Club activities, including public Star Parties at Landis Arboretum and the club Annual Meeting, are free and open to the public.

• In cold weather it is very important to dress warmly - and you will NOT be warm if you do not wear a hat. You will be outdoors and it is very easy to get chilled when you are inactive; it feels 15 to 20 degrees colder. Even cool weather requires extra clothing.

• Feel free to bring your own telescope. We are happy to answer questions about using or buying a telescope. There are many poor quality telescopes and a lot of misleading advertising on the market, so learn the basics before purchasing a telescope. Email safrench@nycap.rr.com for a copy of our brief introduction to telescopes and a buying guide.

• Please do not smoke near the telescopes. Smoke can damage the optical coatings in a telescope. Also avoid applying insect repellents from spray cans when standing near the telescopes.

• Star Parties normally last at least one hour and generally go longer if the sky conditions are good, but there is no guarantee people will still be observing if you arrive more than an hour after the starting time. You can arrive anytime during the star party and stay as long as you want.

Please Note: Star Parties are canceled if the skies are mostly cloudy. Please consider registering using the online form below so you can be contacted in the case of cancellation. Decisions on cancellation are made at least 60 minutes prior to start time for Star Parties. If you provide a phone or text number and/or an email address (preferred), we will phone, text or email you in the event of cancellation. If you are in doubt, you can always call Alan French at 518-374-8460. You can also visit the Landis Clear Sky Clock at http://www.cleardarksky.com/c/GrgLndsAbNYkey.html to check for yourself.

On very rare occasions, other circumstances may force cancellation. It is always wise to verify that the Star Party is being held. (To always be up-to-date on information, join the club's Groupsio at https://groups.io/g/astro-albany ). For more information on the Albany Area Amateur Astronomers, including activities, membership, and lots of great links, check out the club's website at dudleyobservatory.org/AAAA/