High Country Star Party 2016

We welcome all interested to a High Country Star Retreat!
September 9,10 & 11 ~ 2016

Exclusive weekend for our lodge guests.
Wyoming High Country Lodge
Bighorn National Forest, Wyoming

The closest lodging to Medicine Wheel !

Thanks both to support of the Wyoming High Country Lodge and The Franklin Institute; Astronomers, Amateur Astronomers, Astronomy Enthusiasts,
in fact any who have an interest (their friends and families) are
all welcome and invited as Wyoming High Country Lodge holds an astronomical retreat.

Join us for our Second Star Party!

You can be closer than ever to the stars where we have the darkest skies in the nation!

Truly, the Milky Way appears as a wide abundant river of light splashing across the celestial backdrop of the never-ending Wyoming sky!

We will feature special astronomy themed activities/presentations in our lodge for patrons to attend. With binoculars and telescopes we will be joined by Astronomy Educator Ted Williams to guide our lodge guests as we view the splendor of our night skies. Join us at 9,000 feet of elevation atop the Bighorn Mountain Range.

Ted Williams Astronomy Educator	Presenter at the Hayden Planetarium (American Museum of Natural History), President / Educator for the Rittenhouse Astronomical Society (Fels Planetarium: Franklin Institute.) Member of the Solar System Ambassador Program NASA/JPL, Middle Atlantic Planetarium Society, International Planetarium Society. Ted's experience hosting telescope star parties promises us some special astronomical observing sessions. Activities and presentations in the lodge each evening and alternate sky presentations.

Mike Mountjoy Technical Support Telescope Operator	Mike Mountjoy is our technical support for our presentations, and operation of the telescopes. Mike hails from the Franklin Institute which is supporting this outreach making Mike's presence possible. Mike is a member of the Rittenhouse Board of Governors and has presented at local meetings.

Mathew Edwards Outdoor Guide	Mathew has experience building his own telescope. An avid Amateur Astronomer and Outdoor Guide, Mathew will assist those attending to find sights in our night skies.

Casey Edwards Prospector	Wondering what many local visitors are doing in those streams? Prospector Casey Edwards has continued the profession that drew early settlers through this region. He mines gold in the Bighorns and has unearthed a few interesting artifacts of historical nature. Casey will share what he and others are doing that may improve the environs of the Bighorn Mountain Range. Casey can give us a local perspective.

Amateur Astronomer Matthew Edwards, wildlife guide, amateur astronomer states "Skies so dark that the Milky Way appears three dimensional." Astronomy Educator Ted Williams found "So many stars in a telescope view that dark nebula are stunningly obvious as they stand out in silhouette. Andromeda appears large enough that it can barely be contained in a binocular view!"


	Notable Times

FRIDAY 9/9/16	SATURDAY 9/10/16	SUNDAY 9/11/16

5:07 am Astronomical Twilight / Dawn	5:08 am Astronomical Twilight / Dawn	5:09 am Astronomical Twilight / Dawn
5:43 am Nautical Twilight	5:44 am Nautical Twilight	5:45 am Nautical Twilight
6:17 am Civil Twilight	6:18 am Civil Twilight	6:19 am Civil Twilight
6:46 am Sunrise	6:47 am Sunrise	6:48 am Sunrise

7:33 pm Sunset / Civil Twilight	7:31 pm Sunset / Civil Twilight	7:29 pm Sunset / Civil Twilight
8:02 pm Nautical Twilight	8:00 pm Nautical Twilight	7:58 pm Nautical Twilight
8:36 pm Astronomical Twilight	8:34 pm Astronomical Twilight	8:32 pm Astronomical Twilight
9:12 pm Dusk / Nightfall	9:10 pm Dusk / Nightfall	9:08 pm Dusk / Nightfall



Suggested Evening Activities
	L = Lodge / O = Outside

FRIDAY 9/9/16	SATURDAY 9/10/16	SUNDAY 9/11/16

	6:30 pm O: Drone Flight Demo / Mike Mountjoy, Dan McCormick	6:30 pm L: Prospecting/Local Prospector: Casey Edwards
7:30 pm L: Twilight / Night Sky Maps	7:30 pm L: Objects of Interest	7:30 pm L: Tools for Observing
8:15 pm O: Navigational Star Sighting Night Sky Orientation	8:15 pm O: Planet Spotting / Navigational Stars	8:00 pm O: Telescope Observation
8:30 pm O: Telescope Observation	8:30 pm O: Telescope Observation	?:?? pm O: As late as interest and
?:?? pm O: As late as interest and	?:?? pm O: As late as interest and	weather permits
weather permits	weather permits



Inclement Weather Alternates	Inclement Weather Alternates	Inclement Weather Alternates
8:00 pm L: Tonight's Sky	8:00 pm L: The Solar System	8:00 pm L: Our Moon
8:30 pm L: The Milky Way	8:30 pm L: Cosmic Address	8:30 pm L: Zodiac Constellations
9:00 pm L: Dark Sky Objects of Interest	9:00 pm L: Exoplanets	9:00 pm L: Topic of Choice

Recommended Daytime Excursions
(Sites accessible by your car, Medicine Wheel requires a 1 mile walk from car parking)

Medicine Wheel:
Take Route 14 A West towards Lovell. A short distance from Wyoming Lodge Entrance road on right side is entrance to Medicine Wheel (Old 14 A West.) You are within the Bighorn Forest Area and roadways ends at a parking area. You continue on foot across mountain ridge to Medicine Wheel. While there is no real climbing, the slightly hilly terrain at this altitude can leave you breathless, and so does the view!

Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area:
Route 14 A West towards Lovell, After exiting mountain range, State Highway 37 (North- right turn.) Yellowtail Reservoir is accessed on right side by Horseshoe Bend Road (large Bighorn Recreation Area sign) which leads to a shoreline, and boat launch and camping area.
Stay on State Highway 37 North past the Reservoir entrance as it leads to Canyon Overlook Road on the right and ends at Devils Canyon Overlook! Amazing View worth the drive!

Shell Canyon / Shell Falls
Route 14 A East towards Burgess Junction. At the junction turn right on route 14 towards Greybull. When roadway starts to descend into canyon there are many beautiful overlooks en route to Shell Canyon.

Buffalo Wyoming
Route 14 A East through Burgess Junction down out of the mountains to Dayton/Ranchester. Take 90 South to Buffalo. Lots of shopping, unique gift stores, rustic downtown yet modernized. Home of the Occidental Hotel.