Public Star Watches for 2024
West Jersey Astronomical Society
  www.wasociety.us  Last updated 11.23.2024

"Star Watch" is a term amateur astronomers use for an evening get-together where we talk, look through telescopes, find new objects and enjoy each others company. Our public Star Watches are an opportunity for you to:

Our club has scheduled eleven (11) public star watches for 2024. They will be held in New Jersey's Wharton State Forest, at Batsto Village, where our telescopes will be set up on the field beside the visitors' center or the field at Atsion on the east side of Rt 206, and at Historic Smithville Park in Easthampton, NJ (near Mt Holly). Directions are linked at the bottom of this page. Attendees at Batsto should park in the paved parking lot at the front of the visitor's center. No-cost Reservations are needed for Smithville (see below).

These events are weather-permitting, so always check the WAS home page for the weather status (go/no-go) before heading out. This information will usually be posted by 1:00 pm on the day of the event.

Etiquette and safety - following a few simple rules will maintain an adequate level of safety and improve the general experience:

For more information, contact our Star Watch Director, Suzanne Leap, or her assistant, Joe Stieber.

 

2024 WAS Public Star Watch Schedule

Eastern Daylight Time is in effect for all dates, except March 2 and November 23, which are Eastern Standard Time. The end of Astronomical Twilight is given. Note that reservations with the Burlington County Park System (no fee) are needed for the Smithville events, links for that will be posted on the WAS home page as the event date approaches. The go/no-go weather call will also be posted on the WAS home page on the day of each event, typically by 1:00 pm.

Date

Day

Location - Held?

Event Start Time

Sunset

  Twilight Ends

March 2

Saturday

Atsion Field - No

6:30 pm

5:53 pm

7:22 pm

April 6

Saturday

Batsto Village - No

7:30 pm

7:28 pm

9:01 pm

April 10
  rain date 11

Wednesday
  Thursday

Smithville Park - No

7:30 pm

7:33 pm
7:34 pm

9:09 pm
9:10 pm

May 2

Thursday

Rancocas NC - Yes

8:00 pm

7:56 pm

9:40 pm

May 8
  rain date 9

Wednesday
  Thursday

Smithville Park - Yes

8:00 pm

8:01 pm
8:02 pm

9:49 pm
9:50 pm

May 11

Saturday

Atsion Field - No

8:00 pm

8:03 pm

9:52 pm

June 8

Saturday

Batsto Village - Yes

8:00 pm

8:25 pm

10:25 pm

July 6

Saturday

Batsto Village - No

8:00 pm

8:29 pm

10:28 pm

August 10

Saturday

Batsto Village - Yes

8:00 pm

8:00 pm

9:43 pm

September 7

Saturday

Atsion Field - No

7:00 pm

7:20 pm

8:53 pm

September 25
  rain date 26

Wednesday
  Thursday

Smithville Park - No

7:30 pm

6:50 pm
6:49 pm

8:20 pm
8:19 pm

October 23
  rain date 24

Wednesday
  Thursday

Smithville Park - Yes

6:30 pm

6:07 pm
6:06 pm

7:38 pm
7:37 pm

October 26

Saturday

Batsto Village - Yes

6:30 pm

6:03 pm

7:34 pm

November 23

Saturday

Batsto Village - Yes

5:30 pm

4:38 pm

6:12 pm

 

 

Click here for a printable PDF version of the schedule.

 

 

For directions, click on the respective location below.

GPS Coordinates

Latitude (north)

Longitude (west)

Atsion Field

39 deg 44 min 32 sec 74 deg 43 min 28 sec

Batsto Village

39 deg 38 min 37 sec 74 deg 38 min 45 sec

Smithville Park

39 deg 59 min 14 sec 74 deg 44 min 55 sec

Finally, don't forget to check the web sites of other astronomy clubs in the Delaware Valley area, they frequently schedule as many or more star watches as we do and some may be much closer to you. You can find their web sites at Links. We'll also be holding less-formal Member Star Watches at Atsion throughout the year.