When and where Black Forest Star Party is held
Not yet announced. Its usual timing is september; the darkest weekend that fits is computed from the Moon.
Black Forest Star Party is held at Cherry Springs State Park near Coudersport, Pennsylvania, each year at about the same time (september). It is organized by Central Pennsylvania Observers.
The site is inside Cherry Springs State Park (International Dark Sky Park), certified by DarkSky International for the quality of its night sky.
Dates here are planning estimates from the Moon, not announced dates. Confirm with the organizer before you book.
How dark the sky gets at Black Forest Star Party
Computed for the night of the party at the observing field, in local time.
Astronomical darkness
-
Moon
-
Milky Way core
rises to 19° at best from this latitude
Southern limit
stars to declination -48° clear the horizon
Elevation
about 701 m (2,300 ft)
At latitude 41.7°N, every star north of declination -48° rises here at some time of year. That puts Omega Centauri, at -47°, within reach low in the south. The Milky Way core in Sagittarius tops out 19° above the southern horizon. On the party night the Sun stays less than 18° below the horizon, so the sky never reaches full astronomical darkness; faint galaxies suffer, but bright clusters, planets and the Milky Way still show.
| Twilight | Evening | Morning |
|---|---|---|
| Sunset and sunrise | - | - |
| Nautical twilight (Sun 12° down) | - | - |
| Astronomical darkness (Sun 18° down) | - | - |
What you can see from Coudersport on the party night
Highest altitude each showpiece reaches between the end of evening twilight and the start of morning twilight that night. Dimmed rows are out of reach from this latitude or this season; that is the case for choosing a party farther south.
| Object | What it is | Highest | Best at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milky Way core | The bright star clouds of Sagittarius | - | - |
| Omega Centauri | The biggest globular cluster in the sky | - | - |
| Southern Cross | Crux, the smallest constellation | - | - |
| Carina Nebula | Eta Carinae and its nebula | - | - |
| Large Magellanic Cloud | A satellite galaxy of the Milky Way | - | - |
| Andromeda Galaxy | M31, the nearest big galaxy | - | - |
| Hercules Cluster | M13, the showpiece northern globular | - | - |
| Orion Nebula | M42, the brightest nebula | - | - |
| Pleiades | M45, the Seven Sisters | - | - |
Planets in the night sky
| Planet | Magnitude | Highest | Best at |
|---|
Where Cherry Springs State Park is
Cherry Springs State Park near Coudersport, Pennsylvania. Coordinates 41.663°N, 77.823°W.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Open the larger map · Directions. Arrive before dark: headlights on the field ruin everyone's night vision.
Camping and lodging at Black Forest Star Party
Field camping. Book early; on-site spaces at popular parties fill months ahead.
Nights at 701 m
Expect dew; bring heaters or shields for optics
Red light only
White flashlights and phone screens stay off on the field
No telescope needed
Owners share views; binoculars and a chair go a long way
Star parties near Black Forest Star Party
| Star party | Near | Distance | Usual timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cherry Springs Star Party | Coudersport, Pennsylvania | 0 km (0 mi) | June, near new moon |
| Shenandoah Night Sky Festival | Luray, Virginia | 353 km (220 mi) | Late summer |
| Almost Heaven Star Party | Riverton, West Virginia | 360 km (224 mi) | New-moon weekend in August |
| Starfest | Ayton, Ontario | 369 km (229 mi) | August new moon |
| Green Bank Star Quest | Green Bank, West Virginia | 398 km (247 mi) | Summer |
Black Forest Star Party record
Every value in the star parties dataset for Black Forest Star Party
| ID | 4 |
|---|---|
| Name | Black Forest Star Party |
| Slug | black-forest-star-party |
| PageURL | star-party.php?party=black-forest-star-party |
| Country | United States |
| Region | Pennsylvania |
| NearTown | Coudersport |
| Site | Cherry Springs State Park |
| Lat | 41.663 |
| Lon | -77.823 |
| CoordCheck | verified |
| Elevation_m | 701 |
| Organizer | Central Pennsylvania Observers |
| Founded | |
| TypicalMonths | 9 |
| TypicalTiming | September |
| NextStart | |
| NextEnd | |
| DateStatus | Not yet announced |
| Lodging | Field camping |
| DarkSkyPlace | Cherry Springs State Park (International Dark Sky Park) |
| TimeZone | America/New_York |
| Website | https://bfsp.org/ |
| ImageKey | black-forest-star-party |
| Note | |
| Source | Legacy star-parties.htm; organizer website |
From the site's star parties dataset (starparties_q426). Sky conditions are computed in your browser for the field's coordinates.