Public Star Gaze

2025 STAR GAZE DATES: Jan 24/25, Jan 31/Feb 1, Feb 21/22, Feb 28/Mar1, Mar 21/22, Mar 27/28, Apr 18/19, Apr 25/26, May 16/17, May 23/24, June 20/21, June 27/28, July 18/19, July 25/26, Aug 15/16, Aug 22/23, Sept 12/13, Sept 19/20, Oct 10/11, Oct 17/18, Oct 24/25, Nov 14/15, Nov 21/22, Dec 12/13, and Dec 19/20. Two dates are shown for each star gaze (usually, but not always, on Friday and Saturday). It is always the first clear and acceptable night of those 2 dates. A weather call will be posted on the club’s website home page on the afternoon of the star gaze. Time will vary by season, depending on what time sunset is. Check their website HERE

Unless otherwise indicated, our club star gazes are open to the public. They are usually, but not always, scheduled twice per month on the Friday nights that occur near the Last Quarter and New Moons (unless a holiday interferes). Should Friday night be clouded out, we normally use the next night (Saturday) as our backup night.

Star Gaze Venues

The star gazes are held at Lookout Observatory, Grassland Mountain Observatory, or other locations in the area. We use a number of observing sites throughout the year based upon weather conditions and accessibility. It’s not unusual for the club to conduct star gazes on additional nights during the year. Check the club’s website “home page” regularly for the latest posting of upcoming public star gazes along with their assigned observing locations, and for any possible postponements or cancellations due to weather conditions and/or road closures.

More About the Star Gazes and Etiquette

Dress as warmly as you can, especially your head, hands and feet. We’ve never heard anyone complain about being too warm at a star gaze.

We usually try to arrive at the star gaze a little before sunset. It’s good to have some daylight to set up the telescopes and not feel so rushed to begin observing. For those star gazes at locations other than one of the club-associated observatories, usually 5 to 10 people show up with telescopes. If the sky is clear a few people stay all night and won’t pack up until sunrise. Usually everyone just observes whatever they are interested in. We don’t have a fixed schedule. One person may be going after nebulae or galaxies, while someone else may just be getting acquainted with their new scope.

Anyone who comes to a star gaze should turn off your car lights as soon as possible, and give warning before you turn on your lights to leave. Don’t use a flashlight unless it has a deep red filter over it. Few things irritate astronomers more than losing their night vision. It takes at least 15 minutes to get it back, longer if the person was observing very dim objects such as faint galaxies. While at the star gaze, don’t forget to breathe deeply. Low blood oxygen begins to reduce night vision in just a few seconds.

Feel free to ask anyone what they are looking at and if you can take a look. Most astronomers love sharing their passion. But get permission before turning any knobs, such as that one you just know is the focusing knob. It may not be! Finally, please do not smoke or vape near the telescopes because smoke and vapor can coat the lenses and mirrors. If you do smoke or vape, please do it downwind and at a distance.

Nature comes to the forefront at a star gaze. What a person looks like doesn’t matter (it’s too dark to see each other!). What matters is the shared enjoyment of the universe beyond our little blue marble. It takes you out of the workaday world and helps you realize there is more to the universe than this myopic view we have in the daytime.

February, 27
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Leicester History Gathering

All from the community are welcome and encouraged to attend! This group will meet every third Thursday at 7pm. Each month there will be a short presentation on a subject from the history of Leicester and Sandy Mush followed by a time of fellowship and discussion.

February, 27
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Beer City Festival

Asheville’s premier downtown craft beer festival will take place on May 28th on Roger McGuire Green in downtown Asheville, NC. Beer City Festival brings the best local and regional breweries from Asheville and surrounding areas together for a great day of beer and music. This year’s event features over 32+ breweries. Live music schedule to be announced soon.

A portion of this year’s proceeds will go to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina. BBBS-WNC is a wonderful organization that seeks to change the lives of children facing adversity between 6 and 18 years of age. The WNC chapter benefits the lives of people daily, and Beer City Festival and AVL Brewers Alliance are proud to be a part of this organization.

All of the breweries featured in Beer City Festival are members of the Asheville Brewers Alliance (ABA). The ABA focuses on the growth of local and surrounding Asheville breweries through active partnership and support.

All attending guests must be 21+ years of age. SMALL CHILDREN ARE PERMITTED IN THE COMPANY OF A LEGAL ADULT.

ALL GA TICKETS INCLUDE: – (1) Beer City Festival Wristband – Official Beer City Festival Tasting Mug – Access to 30+ Breweries – Access Festival Food Court – Sponsor Attractions Around the Park – Access to FREE Water Stations, Cooling Areas and Shade Structures PARKING is available in and around Downtown Asheville, NC. We strongly encourage all attendees to arrive early for the best parking options, and please drive responsibly.

REFUNDS: Beer City Festival is a rain or shine event. In extreme conditions, the organizers reserve the right to cancel the event. If the cancellation occurs prior to the commencement of the event, attendees will be notified of the cancellation by email. For Rules & FAQs, please visit BeerCityFestival.com/Rules

February, 27
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Papercrafts Workshop: 3D Snowflakes

Instructor Cyn Slingsby leads a fun workshop for kids and/or parents to (hopefully) say goodbye to winter for a while.

This snowflake project is a bit more intricate than last month’s valentine project, so this workshop is recommended for older kids (age 5 and up) and adults. Age 8 and up can be dropped off, but ages 5-7 must have adult with them during the workshop.
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All materials are included in the fee. Reservations are welcome but not required. Call, email, or stop by the store to reserve a space.

February, 27
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Volunteer Garden Workday

Weekly on Saturday, 9:00am-Noon

All ages and experience levels are welcome!

Garden activities include planting crops, sowing seeds, and harvesting vegetables.

February, 27
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“Rally Around The Jet”, an Enka Middle School Fundraiser Event

“Rally Around The Jet”, an Enka Middle School Fundraiser Event starring the world famous Billy Joel tribute, The Stranger, featuring Mike Santoro. Proceeds will help overcome budget deficits and create revenue and funding for future Enka Middle School initiatives, including the restoration of the Enka Middle School Jet.

“The Stranger” is the complete premiere tribute to the music of the Piano Man himself, Billy Joel. Comprised of some of the best and most experienced musicians in the business, this 6 piece band brings together an authentic replication of Billy’s timeless music, crowning it with soulful, spot on vocals that makes a Billy Joel song what it is. ‘Powerful, emotional, intense’, words that have been used to describe this tribute show. We give you Billy Joel in his prime… energetic, passionate and a true showman. A performance you won’t soon forget.

February, 27
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“Helping to Heal the Heart of Humanity”, An evening of Folk, Americana, & Celtic Music

Location(s): Expo Building

A portion of the proceeds from this event will be donated to Brother Wolf Animal Rescue and Evergreen Community Charter School.

Featuring:

Tuatha Dea

Carolina Ceili
The Dave Desmelik Trio

Come and see the spiritual group Tuatha Dea and their eclectic mix of Scottish, Irish, new age, traditional and modern day music, as they weave a tapestry of enchantment that produces a unique variety and blend of rhythm and melody. Carolina Ceili invokes a “party” atmosphere symbolic of a traditional Celtic gathering as they invite the masses to join them for an evening of Scottish and Irish folk music and dancing, while Dave Desmelik will open the festivities with songs that bring forth a heartfelt simplistic realness, that takes you on a genuine venture into the highs and lows of life.

Most importantly, this evening of music will recognize the importance and dedication of two organizations in our surrounding community. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to further the cause of Brother Wolf Animal Rescue and their uncompromised compassion towards helping animals in need, and a matching contribution will go to the Evergreen Community Charter School, where innovative education is developed and operated collaboratively by educators, parents, students, and the larger community, and where learning is inspired by a love of children and a commitment to the greater good, both of which are cornerstones for a brighter future and a better world.

PURCHASE TICKETS at Eventbrite.com using keyword Brother Wolf / Asheville Area