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We just reserved our spot. This is perhaps the 4th or 5th year we've gone since 2017. The skies are extremely dark - near Adin California.
You can see our black truck and white RV at the 0:56 mark in the top/center of the video to the right.
An excellent location for astrophotography or visual observing.
February 4 2026 We guarantee you'll see a shooting star
We guarantee you'll see a shooting star during your star party.
The photo to the left was taken from the patio at our home. If you come to a star party in Freestone, we really
can't guarantee you'll see a shooting star, but it is highly likely.
Shooting stars are meteors. These are small objects about the size of a grain of sand that burn up in Earth's atmosphere.
If we all look up at the same time, we'll see one or two meteors during the night.
If you make a wish during or after a meteor passes overhead, it may come true. Linda says you can wish after the
meteor passes. Jim says you have to wish while the streak of light is visible.
February 2 2026 Other things to do in Sonoma County when you book your Star Party
February 1 2026 The Wine Country Star Party BLOG is back!
After a brief hiatus, our BLOG is back.
Technical details prevented us from offering the BLOG. We often
found the BLOG corrupted previously, but that's been fixed. Yay!
January 31 2026 Incredible line-up of Astronimcal events for 2026
January 1 2026 Why do you call it a Star Party?
A Star Party is an event where a group of people gather to stargaze.
Naked eye and telescope aided observing are included. It is a peaceful
time to view the beauty of the heavens. Stars, Galaxies, Open and Closed
Star Clusters, and Nebula are all visible. In addition, the participants
in a Star Party view Constellations and Asterisms associated with the season.
Typically, fact sharing, stories, and mythological tales promote a heightened
sense of camaraderie.
A Star Party is not to be confused with a party
for Movie Stars or Hollywood Actors. The phrase "Star Party" is used among
astronomers as the common name for a gathering of people intent on viewing
the Heavens.
As the evening progresses, and darkness falls, there is a growing excitement.
Objects rise in the east just like the sunrise and the experienced Astronomers
point them out. As each person's eyes adapt to darkness, the ability to see
dark objects improves. Gradually novices become more familiar with the map
of the sky. Even a shooting star or two adds to the excitement.
December 10 2025 The double star, Albiero
Visible in the Summer, Albiero is the eye or beak of the swan in the constellation Cygnus. These stars are called
a binary pair as they revolve around each other. One is hot and blue. The other is yellow and cool.
August 3, 2019 Alexander Valley Film Festival Star Party
We enjoyed delicious food, met wonderful new friends, and experienced
beautiful star gazing with the Alexander Valley Film Festival in
Cloverdale.
The 4 stars in the Wine Country Star Party logo stand for "spectacular
beauty, memorable friends".
I don't think we could have been more
spot on than that!
July 17, 2019 Dark Sky Locations
We are constantly looking for dark sky locations. This helps us get the best astrophotography results. We look at the dark site finder, and try to match those locations with remote campsites. The ideal "find" wouild be the darkest conditions without a neighbor in sight. The worst situation is someone with a bright lantern next to us.
This usually conjurs up the idea of the middle of the night, not day break. The image here is from just before morning at Eagle Lake near Susanville, CA.
I thought it was a pretty photo and even though the sun was not up yet, the stars were long gone.
July 9, 2019 Is a Star Party fun?
Sometimes things get a little playful at our Star Parties.
We asked these guests to point up into the sky as if they were seeing a UFO.
October 24, 2018 Gravity Visualized
Dan Burns explains his space-time warping demo at a workshop at Los Gatos High School, on March 10, 2012.
October 10, 2018 Este Lauder / Clinique Star Party
We were hired to perform a Star Party for Este Lauder / Clinique at the "Barn in Green Valley". Lots of energy, fun people, and a beautiful location.
The attendees were mostly Este Lauder / Clinique staff who support the company's online sales.
We met people from Taiwan, Brazil, and New York.
The double doors in the photograph were "flung" open to share the drama of the telescopes with the team.
September 4, 2018 Star Gazing in Freestone Sunday night
We toured the planets Sunday night with our guests. 5 planets!
Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars. Wait?! That makes only 4. Well, yes, we also saw the Earth.
That joke is getting really old.
December 28, 2012 Moon Photo
One of Wine Country Star Party's Moon photos from earlier this year.
Taken with our 10" Newtonian Telescope.
December 20, 2012 New Telescope Setup
One of the services Wine Country Star Party provides is assistance setting up your new telescope. Perhaps you'll get a nice gift for the Holidays.
Let us help you take it out of the box and assemble it. We can take the guesswork out of the process and help you get outside to view your first astronomical objects.
December 19, 2012 Welcome
Welcome to the Wine Country Star Party BLOG. We will post information here about our Star Parties. We will also post details about the seasonal skies. As the seasons change, there are noticeable changes in the "landmark" constellations. These are the constellations Astronomers use to "get their bearings".
A Star Party is an event where a group of people gather to stargaze.
Naked eye and telescope aided observing are included. It is a peaceful
time to view the beauty of the heavens. Stars, Galaxies, Open and Closed
Star Clusters, and Nebula are all visible. In addition, the participants
in a Star Party view Constellations and Asterisms associated with the season.
Typically, fact sharing, stories, and mythological tales promote a heightened
sense of camaraderie.
Visible in the Summer, Albiero is the eye or beak of the swan in the constellation Cygnus. These stars are called
a binary pair as they revolve around each other. One is hot and blue. The other is yellow and cool.
We are constantly looking for dark sky locations. This helps us get the best astrophotography results. We look at the 
We were hired to perform a Star Party for Este Lauder / Clinique at the "Barn in Green Valley". Lots of energy, fun people, and a beautiful location.
We toured the planets Sunday night with our guests. 5 planets! 
setting up your new telescope. Perhaps you'll get a nice gift for the Holidays.
Welcome to the Wine Country Star Party BLOG. We will post information here about our Star Parties. We will also post details about the seasonal skies. As the seasons change, there are noticeable changes in the "landmark" constellations. These are the constellations Astronomers use to "get their bearings".
