Community Stargazers

Star Parties

MKA Star Party Aug. 22 & 24, 2026

⭐ MKA Star Party — Part 1

August 22, 2026 — Rose Tree Park, Media, Pennsylvania

Heavy clouds couldn’t stop the excitement at the MKA Star Party. Even with the Moon hiding behind thick layers of haze, more than 30 people came out and stayed for over two hours, turning what could have been a washed‑out night into one of the most engaging outreach events we’ve ever had.

What made the night special wasn’t the sky — it was the community. Not just any community, but my martial arts family.

Families, students, and instructors gathered at Hawk Watch, forming a semi‑circle around the telescopes as we explored the fundamentals of astronomy, astrophotography, and how modern observing technology works. Even though the clouds only allowed brief glimpses of the Moon, everyone got hands‑on time comparing refractors and reflectors, learning how magnification really works, and diving into the astrophotography tablet loaded with my best Seestar images. The curiosity, the questions, and the energy were incredible.

On hand to help were my family — Sabrina, Ian, and their beautiful son Vincent — making the night feel even more personal and meaningful.

🌌 Community, Curiosity, and Generosity

A huge thank‑you to CelestronTelescopes for donating outreach materials — stickers, telescope buying guides, calendars, and bookmarks. These weren’t just giveaways; they sparked conversations, inspired kids, and helped families understand what kind of telescope might be right for them.

And thank you to ZWO Astrophotography for inspiring everyone with the astrophotography photos. People were fascinated by how the Seestar works and how such a small instrument can capture amazing details from literally millions of light‑years away. Several attendees were excited to hear about the new ZWO Seestar S30 Pro, and even more so about the imminent release of the Seestar S50 Pro.

For the evening, in addition to the Seestar, I brought the amazing Svbony 503 102ED, a doublet refractor that gives incredibly crisp lunar images, and the show‑stopper: my 8” Apertura Dobsonian. I was also thrilled to bring our newest instrument — the beautiful 60mm Bushnell Sky Chief, recently donated to the club. This precision instrument, with highly polished glass, is over sixty years old and was hand‑assembled in Japan. The prior owner took amazing care of it and asked only for a picture of someone using it at a star party. He received that picture the next morning — and he was absolutely thrilled. Thank you, Joe.

👨‍🏫 Teaching Under Cloudy Skies

While we waited for the skies to clear, I shifted into teacher mode.

I shared how I got into astronomy and why I started Community Stargazers, and I told everyone how much their interest and attendance means to me. Blending my two passions — my karate family and astronomy — is a real gift.

We talked about:

• How refractors and reflectors work

• Why you start with lower magnification

• What “star hopping” is and how anchor stars guide us

• Why astronomers use red lights at night

• The lunar and solar calendars provided by Celestron

• How the Seestar works through long-term exposures and stacking

My tablet, filled with dozens of astronomy photos, was passed around freely. I reminded everyone that all images are available on my website and social media pages — free to download, print, and share.

I also explained our Star Registry, how families can name a star for someone, and how I provide coordinates, a photo, and even help them find their star in the night sky. There was a lot of interest in that!

🌟 A New Friend and a New Connection

While everyone took turns looking through the eyepieces — at the Moon when it briefly appeared, or at a family of deer wandering in the distance — a friendly man named Charlie stopped over. He had been flying his drone nearby and was curious about the Seestar.

He mentioned he owned a Dwarf‑3 but didn’t use it much. I invited him to join me on future observing nights so we could use it together and compare it with the Seestar. He was thrilled, took a card, and emailed me right away.

Another solid Community Stargazers connection.

🌙 A Night of Wonder — Even Without Stars

Despite the weather, nobody left early. Rose Tree Park became a place of discovery, learning, and shared wonder — proof that astronomy outreach isn’t about perfect skies. It’s about people coming together to explore the universe.

🔭 Part 2 — August 24, 2026 — Springfield, PA

While families mingled and explored, I checked the forecast for Monday night. After confirming with MKA’s owner, Dr. Charles Terry, I announced that after karate class on Monday, everyone is invited to walk to the end of the shopping center to the park.

There, I’ll set up the big Apertura 8‑inch Dobsonian and we’ll enjoy live views of:

• Saturn

• Venus

• And possibly bonus objects like the Hercules Globular Cluster

Everyone seemed excited — and I think they appreciated the chance to see these celestial wonders after the cloud‑out. I’m grateful to offer this experience as Part 2.

Whether you came to Part 1 or not, if you want to see Saturn, Venus, and more — and enjoy a fuller night‑sky experience — come to MKA Monday night. After the adults class, we’ll gather and continue sharing the wonders of the universe.

⭐ MKA Star Party — Part 2

August 24, 2026 — Meadowgreen Park, Springfield, Pennsylvania

Community Stargazers MKA Star Party Pt II. What a success! Over 20 people came to share the universe. I was especially pleased that I was able to share this evening with my brother and sister, as well as my dear MKA friends and family.

We started just after the adult karate class around 8 PM in the park at the end of the dojo shopping center. We had the Svbony 102 set up with a filter to look at the moon and bright Venus, and the 8” Apertura Dobsonian was ready to look at Albireo and Saturn. The ZWO Seestar S50 was quietly running in the background. While this was mostly a visual observing night, I wanted to have a Junior Stargazer select an object to capture while we looked at planets. Miss Irina selected the Whirlpool Galaxy, M51. What a great selection!

We also got great images of the waxing gibbons moon and the double star Albireo. (Included below are pictures of Saturn and Venus - these are from NASA. They are close approximations of the actual views we had).

I was amazed that we were able to use a 6mm lens with a 2x Barlow in the Dob when looking at Saturn. That is 400x magnification! We were really pushing the limits of what this scope can do, and it didn’t disappoint! We saw the rings as clear as day, including the Cassini divide. We saw colors variations on the planet, and we even saw two moons, Titan and Rhea! Since Saturn didn’t clear the horizon until nearly 11 PM most Stargazers had to leave before getting a look. Later this summer / fall, Saturn will rise earlier and we have another opportunity.

It was also great to share this evening with my dear friend Joe. He is the one who introduced me to the Seestar and, along with my grandchildren, was the inspiration behind Community Stargazers.

More Star parties will be scheduled for the Summer and Fall of 2026. I can’t wait to see what we chare next!