Dark Sky Astrophotography
Perseid star party information
NOTE: There is a possibility that there will be significant cloud cover on August 11th if current weather forecasts hold. While we can't control what the skies will do, the party is a confirmed "go." We are looking forward to seeing everyone and are really excited to host you at our new property.
GENERAL INFORMATION:
Directions:
Milky Way Meadows is located on Benton Crossing Road. From Bishop, drive north on Hwy 6 to Benton. At Benton, turn left on Highway 120. Drive 7 miles west on Hwy 120, passing Benton Hot Springs and some beautiful climbing crags. Turn left on Benton Crossing Road, and drive 3.5 miles. See the balloons attached to a snow pole? Turn left at the balloons onto a dirt Forest Service Road. You will see a round-about and a corral and fence. We will greet you at the round-about to help you park and access the property.
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Or... Put "Watterson Meadow" into your phone's map app and follow the directions. Your app will take you to a big painted sign that says "Milky Way Meadows." Drive 1 mile past that sign to find the balloons mentioned above.
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Conditions:
Milky Way Meadows is an undeveloped property with no running water, electricity or buildings. There is a dirt road and pathways to our party sites. The property consists of a relatively flat expanse of sage, rabbit brush and meadows with volcanic outcroppings and hills on the east side. The party will take place three sites - the main star viewing site and campground area on the meadows and the sunset overlook and Milky Way selfies site, both of which are a short climb onto the volcanic outcropping. (See map below.)
For the party we have set up two RV toilets with privacy tents and we will have a limited supply of water available. We will have soft light lighting at the main gathering points. We also have 10 extra small flashlights for guests to use. During the party we will serve wine, beer and water with some light snack food.
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What to Bring for the Party:
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Camp chair
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Headlamp or flashlight
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Closed-toe walking shoes (for light hiking)
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Bug repellent (there aren't many bugs, but just in case)
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Extra water
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Layers for night-time temperatures
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What to Bring to Camp:
Milky Way Meadows is a primitive camping site, with no infrastructure, bathrooms or running water. As noted, we have set up two RV toilets which will be available. Please come prepared to camp under these conditions. There are plenty of flat, grassy areas to set up tents and to park. Please bring your own water, food, and camp supplies to your comfort level. Camp stoves are allowed but there will be no campfires of any kind. There will be a limited number of trash cans.
The Perseid Meteor Star Party: Aug. 11-12, 2021
August 11th, 6 pm – 8 pm:
Sunset viewing and wine from Overlook point.
Hosts: Katharine and Tony
August 11th, 9 pm – 11 pm:
Milky Way Selfies
Hosts: Jordan and Levi
Jordan and Levi will take guests to selected locations and take their pictures with the Milky Way in the background.
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August 11th, 9:30 pm – 10:30 pm:
Perseid Earthgrazers
Perseid Earthgrazers are a special type of Perseid that skims the top of Earth’s atmosphere, producing long, slow and unusually bright fireballs. Two or three Earthgrazers per hour is typical.
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August 12th, Midnight – Sunrise:
The Perseid Meteor Shower
Guests who are camping can enjoy the meteor show between midnight and sunrise. Peak rates are expected between 3 am and 4 am. We will have a telescope available! From a dark-sky site like Milky Way Meadows, we should see between 60 and 100 Perseids per hour.
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Walking distances from Star Party main site:
Entrance: 0.1 mile
Trailhead: 0.3 mile
Milky Way Selfies: 0.4 mile
Sunset Overlook: 0.6 mile
For those who need to minimize walking, we have shuttle service to the Trailhead.
Trailhead to Sunset Overlook: .25 mile