Plan now to sail off on your own voyage of discovery this summer with the Nebraska Star Party, taking place July 12-17 at the Merritt Reservoir in Valentine, Nebraska! The astronomical views from Merritt Reservoir’s Snake Campground are fabulous, and there are plenty of recreational opportunities to keep the entire family entertained all week long.
For newcomers, NSP is the perfect place to become acquainted with the wonders of the heavens which can’t be seen from cities. The unique Beginner’s Field School will show you how fun it is to explore the sky at the reservoir, as well as in your own back yard when you return home, with or without a telescope.
Apart from the starry central attraction, the remote sandhills of north-central Nebraska offer a vacation full of western and natural history as well. Short day trips will take you to historical sites important to the settlement of the west. The spring-fed water and sugar sand beaches of Merritt Reservoir offer swimming, boating, and fishing. Valentine national Wildlife Refuge provides a window into the ecology of the prairie, while the nearby Niobrara River affords a cooling tube float or canoe trip through the surrounding cattle and buffalo ranching country.
NSP is an annual event, scheduled to coincide with the new Moon in late July or early August. Register today!