2024-03-28

South Plains Astronomy Club

Observing Under The Dark West Texas Skies

2022 Star Party Calendar

NOTE: This is not the active schedule!

In 2022, the club made two major changes to our star party schedule. First, we shifted from a fixed day of the month to a lunar schedule following the moon phase. Second, we added a second monthly star party at Ransom Canyon to offer the public a better view of the night sky away from Lubbock’s light pollution.

DateLocationStart TimeMoon PhaseMoon
% Lit
Moon Rise
Set Time
Feb 5Ransom Canyon7:00 pmMoon - 2 waxing crescent25%set 11:17 pm
Feb 19Tech Terrace7:00 pmMoon - 6 waning gibbous90%rise 9:48 pm
Feb 26Member’s Party7:15 pmMoon - 2 waxing crescent 21%set 2:18 pm
rise 4:27 am
MARCH
Mar 5Ransom Canyon7:15 pmMoon - 2 waxing crescent11%set 10:02 pm
Mar 13Daylight Savings
Mar 26Tech Terrace8:32 pmMoon - 8 waning crescent34%set 2:16 pm
APRIL
Apr 2Member’s Party8:30 pmMoon - 2 waxing crescent3%rise 8:39 am
set 9:47 pm
Apr 9Ransom Canyon8:45 pmMoon - 3 first quarter57%rise 1:13 pm
Apr 23Tech Terrace9:00 pmMoon - 7 last quarter50%set 1:16 pm
Apr 30 Member’s Party9:00 pmMoon - 1 new0%set 8:36 pm
MAY
MaySwitch Weekends
May 7Tech Terrace9:00 pmMoon - 2 waxing crescent40%rise 12:00 pm
May 15Lunar EclipsePenumbral
eclipse starts 20:31
Total Eclipse
starts 22:29
Total eclipse
ends 23:53
May 21Ransom Canyon9:15 pmMoon - 6 waning gibbous64%set 12:15 pm
May 28Member’s Party9:30 pmMoon - 8 waning crescent3%set 7:28 pm
JUNE
Jun 4Tech Terrace9:30 pmMoon - 2 waxing crescent25%set 12:41 pm
Jun 18Ransom Canyon9:30 pmMoon - 6 waning gibbous78%rise 12:32 am
Jun 25Member’s Party9:30 pmMoon - 8 waning crescent10%set 6:21 pm
JULY
Jul 2Optional Tech Terrace9:30 pmMoon - 2 waxing crescent13%set 11:52 pm
Jul 23Ransom Canyon9:30 pmMoon - 8 waning crescent22%set 5:13 pm
Jul 30Member’s Party9:30 pmMoon - 2 waxing crescent5%set 10:25 pm
AUGUST
Aug 6Tech Terrace9:15 pmMoon - 4 waxing gibbous68%set 1:19 pm
Aug 20Ransom Canyon9:00 pmMoon - 8 waning crescent37%set 4:04 pm
Aug 27Club Star Party9:00 pmMoon - 1 new0%set 8:27 pm
SEPTEMBER
Sep 3Labor Day weekend
Sep 17Ransom Canyon8:30 pmMoon - 7 last quarter54%set 3:49 pm
Sep 24Member’s Party8:30 pmMoon - 1 new2%set 7:26 pm
OCTOBER
Oct Switch Weekends
Oct 1Tech Terrace8:00 pmMoon - 2 waxing crescent39%set 11:36 pm
Oct 22Member’s Party8:00 pmMoon - 8 waning crescent9%set 5:53 pm
Oct 29Ransom Canyon Halloween7:30 pmMoon - 2 waxing crescent25%set 10:30 pm
NOVEMBER
Nov 6Daylight Savings ends5:50 pm
Nov 8Lunar Eclipsepenumbral eclipse
begins 02:02
Total eclipse
begins 04:16
Total eclipse ends 05:41
Nov 12Tech Terrace6:15 pmMoon - 6 waning gibbous85%rise 8:59 pm
Nov 19Ransom Canyon6:15 pmMoon - 8 waning crescent21%set 3:19 pm
Nov 26Optional Member’s Party6:15 pmMoon - 2 waxing crescent12%set 8:24 pm
Sunset and Moon data taken from Moonrise, Moonset, and Moon Phase in Lubbock (timeanddate.com)
and Sunrise and sunset times in Lubbock (timeanddate.com)

Tech Terrace Map

Ransom Canyon Map