Stockport Observatory Summer Star Party 2026

Spend an evening under the stars with the most experienced skywatchers in South Australia, and be amazed by the celestial experience!

The Astronomical Society of South Australia (ASSA) is pleased to announce its Stockport Observatory Summer Star Party will be held on Saturday 21st February 2026.

This is a prepaid limited ticket public event with a strict No Ticket, No Entry policy.

PROGRAM INFORMATION:

The Spring Star Party will feature a number of exciting astronomical activities for people of all ages as outlined in the program. Attendees will take away a unique and memorable experience of our Universe! A range of activities is planned for guests.

• 8:00pm Arrival & Check-in at Front Desk*
• 8:15pm Welcome & Program Overview
• 8:30pm Tour of the Night Sky
• 8:45pm Telescope Viewing & Other Activities (all evening)
• 11:00pm Close

* Enter observatory grounds from the lower car park gate.

The Telescope Viewing session will feature both looking through the main observatory telescope, a variety of member-owned telescopes, and also viewing electronic images captured and displayed in real-time by advanced imaging telescopes.

ASSA members will describe the celestial objects being viewed or displayed and answer your questions. Some telescopes will focus on the Moon and the planets including the ringed planet Saturn and Jupiter and its moons. Other telescopes will provide views or images of wispy nebulae, brilliant star clusters, vast globular star clusters, supernova remnants, planetary nebulae, and galaxies millions of light years away.

Feel free to walk around the site to inspect the different telescopes and to talk with ASSA members. And ask plenty of questions!

Astro Spy, our astronomy sleuth, will make an appearance to help children get the most out of the evening. There will be some challenges and prizes!

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

STOCKPORT OBSERVATORY is located in the small town of Stockport (6 km north-east of Hamley Bridge) approximately 80 km north of Adelaide. It provides a convenient astronomical facility away from the light pollution which surrounds Adelaide. Visit https://www.assa.org.au/stockport for more information and driving directions.

DRIVING HAZARDS: There are ongoing road works along the Horrocks Highway. There may be speed restrictions in some sections.

INSECT REPELLENT : Guests are advised to bring along insect repellent to protect themselves from insect bites. Please, don't use spray-on repellent as it can damage nearby telescope optics.

EVENT GO or NO-GO: Ticket holders MUST check the ASSA website between noon and 2:00pm Saturday 21st February to check if the event is going ahead or not before embarking on the long drive.

EVENT CANCELLATION DUE TO WEATHER: Excessive cloud cover, showers or rain will result in either the cancellation or postponement of the star party and the observatory will be closed (no access) on the night.

• Event Cancellation: A full refund (including booking fees) will be provided.

CAR PARKING: There is a small car park adjacent to the observatory site. Visitors can also park their vehicles in the street but must do so legally and without blocking access to driveways.

COVID SAFETY: To ensure the safety of its members and the public, the ASSA has a number of COVID-19 safety requirements in place at its events. For full details, please refer to: https://assa.org.au/COVID

WHAT TO BRING:

• Ticket: Remember... No ticket, No Entry.
• Warm Clothing & Enclosed Footwear: It's most important that all attendees dress warmly for the star party and wear comfortable enclosed non-slip footwear. Please come prepared because it may be colder at night than you are used to.
• Insect repellent: ASSA may have some insect repellent available on site, but it's always best to bring your own. Please don't bring or use spray types, as it can damage telescope optics.
• Food & Drink: Tea, coffee, bottled water and soft drinks will be available for purchase on site. You may wish to bring a few snacks for personal consumption. A Sausage Sizzle BBQ will be available.
• Binoculars: If you own a pair of binoculars please bring them along for use under the dark skies. Binoculars are not essential to enjoy the experience.