The 2024 Hidden Hollow Astronomy Star Party will be held Friday, September 27 – Saturday, September 28, 2024!
Long-time star party fans know the legend of Hidden Hollow as one of the friendliest and most comfortable star parties around. We’re nestled deep in the woods of Hidden Hollow resident camp in northeast Ohio near the town of Mansfield. Each year we provide some of the finest guest speakers available, and they join in the fun!
We provide cabins, bunkhouses, and showers for your comfort. We also have primitive/boondocking/dry camping sites for tent and RV camping and modern restrooms.
If it rains, it’s no problem. We have indoor facilities and all activities go on. There are warm areas where you can gather to converse, places to watch movies, play cards or just hang out. The observing field is well-drained and groomed with plenty of “space” to go around.
One of the most appealing parts about Hidden Hollow is the location itself. Even if you aren’t interested in staying up all night observing, you’ll fully appreciate the fine scenery of the camp itself. During the Fall season, Ohio offers some of the most spectacular foliage in the United States, and the pristine, quiet and peaceful surroundings of Hidden Hollow are an ideal place to relax and have an enjoyable weekend. There are plenty of trails to walk in the woods and nearby attractions, restaurants, hotels and shopping. Children and families are always welcome here!
Thanks to wide open spaces and peaceful seclusion, you’ll have a wonderful time at the Hidden Hollow Star Party. During your weekend stay, you’ll be treated like family as you enjoy our workshops, contests, programs, fantastic prizes and observing. We welcome visitors of all ages, and you’ll find that no matter where you roam… There’s no place like our home in Hidden Hollow!
Registration now open: 2024 Registration (pdf)
Order T-shirts here: 2024 t-shirt order form (pdf)
2024 T-Shirt Design
Prize Sponsors
Thank you to our prize sponsors this year. Sponsors include Agena Astro, Celestron, and The Richland Astronomical Society. Also, a huge thank you for the donation of many, many prize items by the Beck Family and the Wallace Family!!!
Click here for the full gallery of prizes…
2024 Hidden Hollow Prize List
Special Raffle Announcement!!
This amazing telescope, mount, and camera so kindly donated by Bruce Taylor will be raffled during our hidden hollow event. You must attend to purchase tickets. Tickets are $50.00 each. If we do not sell minimum of 50 tickets at the event the scope will not be raffled and money will be refunded. Included are the following items:
- Celestron RASA-8
- Celestron Focus Motor
- Sky Watcher EQ6 German Equatorial Mount
- Polemaster – for polar alignment (not needed with EQ6 mount)
- CCD Camera ZWO 20.18 MPCmos Color Astronomy Camera
- Star Sense – off axis guider
Activities and Speaker Schedule
Friday, Sept 27th
5:00 PM Camp Lodge Opens – Vendor Displays + Raffle + Registration
Education Building Open – Refreshments
5:00-6:00 PM Great Lakes Astronomical League Meeting with Terry Mann
7:00 PM Speaker – Tom Wertman : MUFON
9:00 PM Registration and Raffle Ticket Sales Close, Camp Lodge Closes
Observing Begins (Rain or Clouds? Video Movies in the Education Building)
Saturday, Sept 28th
9:00 AM Camp Lodge Opens – Speakers Venue + Vendor Displays + Raffle + Registration
Education Building Open – Refreshments
9:30 AM Silent auction opens
10:00 AM Speaker: Bob Morrow – Telescope Selection and Performance
11:00 AM Speaker: Terry Mann – Catching the Aurora with video or stills
12:00 PM Lunch and Solar Observing on the Camp Lodge Deck
1:00 PM Speaker: James St. John’s – Geology of Venus
2:30 PM Speaker: Alex McCarthy – Geomagnetic Storms
5:00 PM Raffle Ticket Sales End
Silent Auction Ends Winners announced
6:00 PM Raffle Tickets are drawn and prizes awarded in the Camp Lodge
7:00 PM Dinner on your own.
8:00 PM Camp Lodge Closes
9:00 PM Observing Begins (Rain or Clouds? Video Movies in the Education Building)
Sunday, Sept 29th
10:00 AM Guest Check Out
Click here for our 2024 Imaging Competition hosted by the Astronomical League (pdf)
NOTE: Some rules…
- Please do not “count” raffle tickets. We provide a clear container so you can fairly judge how many tickets are in each container.
- Please do not “handle” the door prizes. No one wants to win a new telescope, binoculars or eyepieces that are fingerprinted or small pieces may be missing! We display the door prizes for you, so respect the display.
- If you cannot be present at the raffle ticket drawing, please put your name on the back of your tickets. YOU are responsible for picking up your prizes before 11:00 a.m. Sunday, and you may also appoint a person to hold your prizes for you. Tickets which have no name and no response will be discarded and another ticket drawn. Unclaimed prizes will be donated to the Observatory.
- Please keep ambient noise to a minimum during guest speaker presentations. We appreciate the time and effort our speakers put into their presentations, and we’d like for them to have a good experience at HH!
- Please respect our clean restrooms and buildings. There are plenty of trash receptacles and a dumpster is available.
- Please respect Lights Out time. If you should need to leave during observing time, please park your vehicle below the hill with lights facing downwards.
- Please respect the privacy of those staying in the RAS Kiwanis Cabin. These are our hard-working club volunteers and guest speaker quarters.
- If you should have an emergency situation, please don’t hesitate to contact any of the RAS Staff. We’re here to help!
- Guests are asked to leave by 10 am so the club may do a final clean up.
Thank you for coming to Hidden Hollow! Have a wonderful time…
