NiGHT SKY TOURS How much does a Night Sky Tour cost? You can find that information on the Prices & Reservations Page . There are no coupons or discounts available at this time, but gift certificates certainly are! When does the program begin and how long does it last? Typically it begins about 30-60 minutes or so after sunset, and lasts about 2 to 2-½ hours, though it can run slightly longer or shorter depending on the group size, interest and weather. See the table below for approximate start times throughout the year. Where will we meet? There is no fixed location, but it will be within only a few miles of the town's center (Christmas Circle). This will be determined before you receive your final tour details. Everyone will drive their own vehicles (no 4WD is necessary); precise directions will be provided a week or so in advance. Borrego is a very small town, so all lodging, restaurants, etc. are within only a few miles. Do I need a 4-wheel-drive vehicle? No. All programs, while away from main roads, are held where dirt roads are hard sandy surfaces. Is there much walking involved? No. We park our vehicles and our chairs only a few yards from the telescope, so walking is minimal on a hard sandy surface. What is an evening observing program like? They're all different, of course, but they typically begin with an overview of the stars and constellations visible overhead, followed by a tour of the telescope itself and instruction on its proper use. Then, armed with this knowledge, we will use the telescope to peer deep into our galaxy and far beyond. How is a Night Sky Tour different from other public star parties and events? Public "star parties" offered by amateur astronomy groups are excellent, but they do not offer a truly personalized experience. Here, however, you will have that experience because group sizes are limited. In addition to seeing many more celestial objects, your personal interaction with astronomer Dennis Mammana will help you understand not only what you're seeing, but how it works and why it's important to scientists. It is this context that makes your experience unique. And with a professional astronomer as your guide, you'll surely come away with a totally new perspective on the universe and your place in it. Will I be able to see the Milky Way? That depends on the season and whether or not there's bright moonlight. The Milky Way Galaxy in which we live forms a circular band around us and, therefore, can be seen only about half of the time. Its brightest part appears during the summer and early autumn; its fainter half appears during the winter and early spring. At the other times of the year, we cannot see the band of the Milky Way during early evening hours, but this means that, at those times, we can see other galaxies far beyond our own. Does moonlight affect what we can see? Bright moonlight can overpower the sky making all else pale by comparison. That’s why the Sky Tour Schedule is color-coded to show which program dates have no moon or only a very thin crescent (which does not interfere with sky viewing). Be aware that these program dates and spaces are limited. What might we be able to see with the telescope? That depends on many factors. The most intriguing examples of various objects in the sky that night will be on the observing list-- including the moon and planets if they are up--but conditions might not permit viewing. Every program can be different, and observing decisions will be made by the astronomer during the program. A typical dark-sky program during each season might include the following: Summer: Double star Albireo, Omega Nebula, Hercules globular star cluster, the Milky Way Autumn: Double Star Albireo, Double Star Cluster in Perseus, Ring Nebula, Andromeda Galaxy Winter: Pleiades star cluster, Double Star Cluster in Perseus, Orion Nebula, Andromeda Galaxy Spring: Double star Decapoda, Beehive star cluster, Orion Nebula, galaxies M81/M82 SKY TOUR SIZE How many people are there on a public Night Sky Tour? Typically the maximum is 10-12. Occasionally programs may have fewer guests or, rarely, perhaps even a few more. Why do you limit the size of your audience? Unlike most public "star parties," the number of participants here is limited so that you will have the most enjoyable and educational experience possible. In this way you will be encouraged to peer through the telescope, ask questions and open discussions with Dennis. Is there a minimum number required for your tours? Yes... and no. Each public Night Sky Tour requires a minimum of six adults to operate. That doesn't mean you must have six in your party, only that there must be at least six scheduled for the night. If the tour cannot proceed because of low attendance you will be given the option of rescheduling or receiving a refund. Private tours have no minimum limit. What if I don't want to be part of a public tour group? You may request a private session for just yourself or your group. The current Private Group Rate applies for parties of 1 to 12, with an additional fee for each additional guest beyond eight. See below for more details. PRIVATE AND GROUP TOURS I have a group coming to town; do you offer private group sky tours? Absolutely! If the date is outlined in green on the program calendar , and no spaces have yet been reserved, you may schedule it for a Private/Group sky tour for 1 to 12 guests, with an additional fee for more than 12 guests. See Private Group Rate for more information. Private tours have complete access to the telescope and astronomer and can be tailored more to your interests. Can I bring my young children for a Private/Group Tour? Absolutely! Private/Group sky tours do not limit the ages of children. Keep in mind, however, that very young children may not get very much from the program, but just being out under the stars can be quite a rewarding experience for them. What if my group has more than 12 people? There is an additional fee for each person beyond the 12 guests total. See Private Group Rate for more information. My group is holding an event in another town. Can you visit to do a Night Sky Tour there? Of course, as long as it's within reasonable driving distance of Borrego Springs and the calendar date is available. Events held elsewhere are charged at the Group Rate, but do require travel expenses. CHILDREN is there an age limit for children? Yes, children younger than 9 years of age are not admitted to public programs. Private Sky Tours have no age limit. My children are younger than 9 but are really smart. Why can't they come along? It's not a matter of intelligence. First, the eyes of very young children are unable to focus well on faint objects at the telescope, requiring much more time for instruction and help. Second, a dark environment near a delicate and expensive optical instrument is not a safe place for toddlers or young children. Finally, young children are unable to comprehend all we see and talk about, possibly leading them to become bored, frustrated and, sometimes, disruptive to the rest of the group. Can I drop off my children and pick them up at the end of the tour? No, sorry. No unaccompanied minors are permitted, and all must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. MAKING RESERVATIONS Must I have a reservation or can I just show up? Because these programs are heavily booked, and meeting times and places can change with the season and weather conditions, advance reservations and payment are required . Reservations and payments made less than 72 hours before the program are not accepted . Sorry. How do I select a date? Check the Tour Schedule page for scheduled dates, then follow the instructions to learn if enough space is available that evening. How do I make a reservation? Once you've confirmed that space is available on the date(s) you're visiting, you can pay online with a credit or debit card, or PayPal. All major credit and debit cards are accepted, and all transactions are secure via the PayPal system. You do not have to have a PayPal account. What if my preferred date is already booked? If a date is sold out, you may request to be placed on the waiting list for that night. Cancellations are rare, but they do occur from time to time. If space opens you will be contacted right away before the date is opened to the public. I just arrived in town and saw your flier. Can I make a reservation for tonight? Reservations and payments made less than 72 hours before the program are not accepted. Sorry. Please plan ahead. I called the phone number but there was no answer. Now what? All correspondence must be done by e-mail, not by phone or text messaging. Since all responses, confirmations and tour details will be sent via e-mail ALWAYS within 24 hours, please make sure that these are not going to your spam or junk folders. I sent an e-mail but never received a response. You will ALWAYS receive a reply within 24 hours. If you don't, check your spam and junk folders. If you've not received a reply within 24 hours, please try again. Sometimes e-mails can be blocked, though, so you it’s always wise to include in any correspondence an alternate e-mail address . I made my reservation; now what? Shortly after making your reservation payment, you will receive a receipt from PayPal. You will then receive an e-mail confirmation from Dennis giving you preliminary details and requesting important information. Once that information is received―and a few days before your Night Sky Tour―you will receive another e-mail detailing the exact time and place we will meet, and offering more detail about the evening's adventure. You're always welcome to email Dennis at any time if you've got questions that are not answered in the emails or this FAQ. LODGING & ACTIVITIES IN BORREGO SPRINGS I've never been to Borrego Springs before. Can you recommend a good place to stay? A variety of resorts, motels and camping spots exist around the village of Borrego and in the State Park. You can find a list of lodging (as well as other activities , restaurants and more at the Borrego Springs Chamber of Commerce & Visitors’ Bureau . How far are hotels from where we'll be meeting? Borrego is a very small town, and all hotels and resorts are within only a few miles of our observing site. I don't want to stay overnight in Borrego; is that an option? Of course, but keep in mind how far Borrego is from just about everywhere. From San Diego it's a 2+ hour drive; from the LA area it can be 4+ hours. Your Night Sky Tour can end quite late, and the roads out of town are winding, dark and potentially dangerous at night. You would be much wiser to spend the night in town and enjoy the views back the next day. In fact, you might even prefer to stay a few days to relax away from the big city, or explore the ruggedly beautiful Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Is there anything else to do in Borrego? Absolutely! Please check out the following websites to see what kinds of museums, lectures, desert excursions and more for you to enjoy: Borrego Springs Chamber of Commerce & Visitors’ Bureau Borrego Experience Go To Borrego Springs Warning: Be ready for beauty, quiet and solitude... and no traffic! TOUR LOGISTICS When are Borrego Night Sky Tours offered? Sky Tours are offered several times a week, except when the moon is bright or when Dennis is not available. Check out the current tour schedule for dates and send an e-mail to confirm that space is open; if there is, you must pay in advance to hold your spaces. What time does the program begin and how long does it last? Night Sky Tours typically begin 30-60 minutes after sunset―depending on the time of year and what’s in the sky―and generally last about 2 to 2-½ hours. Please be aware that PROGRAMS   BEGIN   ON   TIME , so plan to arrive early or you may miss the all-important beginning; there can be no refunds for late arrivals or no-shows. On rare occasions, conditions may dictate a last-minute change of start time or location, and these changes would be communicated that day via text message to the cell phone number(s) you provide. Please check your text messages from time to time that day to make sure you don't miss important updates. What if I'm late? You may miss the tour. We begin PROMPTLY   at the scheduled time, and once the program has begun you will be unable to reach anyone by phone, text message or e-mail. Please keep in mind that there are no refunds if you miss the program. Please plan your travel and dinner accordingly and arrive early! Where will we meet? There is no fixed location, but all are within only a few miles of the town's center. It will be determined before you receive your final tour details. Conditions may require a last-minute change, and those changes would be communicated via text message that day to the cell phone number(s) you provide. Please check your text messages from time to time that day to make sure you don't miss updates. How should I plan to dress for the evening? Nights can become quite cool (or downright cold!) after sundown in the desert, except during mid-summer. Always be sure to dress for the season, but you will be advised before your adventure what weather we can expect. Good sturdy shoes are always a good idea for the desert at night, however. Do I need a 4-wheel-drive vehicle to participate? No 4WD is necessary. The observing locations are all located within a few miles of the town's center, and only a short drive on a solid dirt road may be necessary. I'd prefer not to drive at night in the desert; can I ride with you? No, sorry. The telescope gear takes up the entire vehicle! Some hotels & resorts can shuttle you to and from the observing site. THINGS TO BRING ALONG... OR TO LEAVE AT HOME What do I need to bring? You should bring water, solid shoes, seasonal clothing, a flashlight, binoculars and a sense of adventure for seeing sights and phenomena far beyond our daily workaday world. If you wish to sit during the 2 to 2-½ hour program you should bring folding chairs. If you’re traveling by plane and cannot bring chairs, please let Dennis know in advance and he will have some available. Please do NOT bring a towel or blanket to sit on the ground; not only can it pick up irritating cactus needles, ants, scorpions, snakes and other small critters, it is also a safety hazard for people walking around in the dark gazing skyward. CAMERAS & OTHER TELESCOPES Can I take photos through the telescope? While the telescope is designed for photography, it is configured only for visual use during these programs. However, if the crescent moon is visible that night you can try holding a camera or phone up to the eyepiece and snapping the shutter, but this can be a bit challenging so we'd wait until the end of the evening to try this if you wish. Can I bring a camera and tripod to shoot the sky directly? Certainly, but you’ll be asked to set it up away from the group for safety. And, since light is not allowed at the observing site, you’ll also need to disable your LCD screen, strobe and white flashlight. Keep in mind that, if you spend time with your camera, you'll miss much of the Sky Tour. You may, however, stay after the program to shoot the sky on your own. May I bring my own telescope? This is discouraged since participants would be distracted from the program for which they've paid. You may, however, stay after the program to set up and use your scope on your own . SEEING THE MILKY WAY Will I see the Milky Way during our Night Sky Tour? It's possible. The Milky Way appears during at various times during the year, and only on moonless nights (green dates on the program schedule). In the early evening hours (when our program runs) we can see it during the winter months (December, January and February), but this portion of the Milky Way is rather faint. It’s not visible during our programs in the spring months. The time to see it at its best is during the summer months (July, August and early September) when it appears to arc high overhead in the evening and streams very far to the south. During October and November it's still visible, but its southernmost section is beginning to vanish in the glow of lights from San Diego. Can I see all the spectacular colors I see in photographs? Unfortunately not. First of all, cameras record colors and details that the human eye cannot see. Secondly, many of those highly- saturated photos you may have seen online are over-processed by novices and give the Milky Way a ghastly and terribly unrealistic look. The Milky Way appears as a quiet and subtle "cloud" that arcs across the sky and, to the eye, appears as a rather colorless and mottled band of light. RESTRICTIONS May I bring my pet? No, sorry. At night in the desert pets can attract coyotes as well as large birds of prey, they are vulnerable to snake bites and being stepped on or tripped over in the dark, and some can become temperamental around strangers. In addition, some of our guests may have allergies to pet hair. Please arrange to leave your precious fur babies elsewhere during the few hours of our program. May I smoke on the tour? Please don't. Other guests (including your astronomer) may be negatively affected by smoke. Additionally, the desert is very dry and fire of any kind can be a hazard. If you choose to do so, however, you will be asked to move to an area far downwind from our group, and you will miss part of the program. May I bring alcoholic beverages? Alcohol is not permitted. Not only can it dehydrate the body, it can also impair one’s ability to become dark-adapted or even to see clearly. It can occasionally affect one’s balance which, in a dark desert location with uneven ground and a finely-tuned and expensive telescope this is not a good combination. In addition, other guests may be negatively affected by smelling alcoholic beverages. AT THE OBSERVING SITE Will we be doing much walking? Not at all; we will park our vehicles at the observing site and walk only a few feet on flat sandy terrain to the telescope. That's it! Are there restroom facilities at our observing site? Since we'll be out in the desert, there are no restrooms (OK, there are thousands of them!). Please be prepared for that. What about rattlesnakes and scorpions? Though it may appear barren and lifeless, the desert is alive with critters such as ants, scorpions, field mice, rattlesnakes, lizards, coyotes and more—some seasons more than others—but if you're careful you won't be bothered by any of them. It's always a good idea to wear solid shoes, use a flashlight when walking at night in the desert and, if you wish to sit, do so off of the ground on a chair, cooler, etc. In general, always be aware of your environment while in the desert. CANCELLATIONS What conditions could force a cancellation of the program? Unsuitable weather conditions include, but are not limited to, cloud cover, precipitation, strong winds, blowing sand, high humidity and dew, significant air turbulence (what astronomers call “poor seeing”), smoke, ash, nearby thuderheads or lightning strikes, flash flood watches or warnings, or other force majeure events. If the program must be canceled, how will I be notified? If it’s canceled on the same day or evening you will receive a text message at the cell number you provided. If (in rare instances) it is canceled a day or more in advance you will receive an email instead. If I choose to cancel will I get a refund? Of course, but a refund can be issued ONLY if your cancellation is received by 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time three days before your scheduled sky tour date. (For example, a Saturday sky tour must be canceled by 5:00 p.m. PT on Wednesday; a Friday sky tour cancellation must be received by 5:00 p.m. PT on Tuesday, and so on). Because these programs can be in high demand, cancellations   received   after   that date and time cannot be refunded . Sorry. Can I reschedule instead of canceling? Absolutely but, like a refund, your request must be received by 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time three days before your scheduled sky tour date. If weather conditions force a cancellation will I get a refund? If the program is forced to cancel for any reason you may choose to reschedule or receive a refund. WEATHER What are the desert temperatures like when I’m planning to visit? Desert temperatures vary considerably throughout the day/night cycle and the year. Temperatures during the early evening programs can range from 100F+ (38+C) in the summer, to as low as 35F (2C) in the winter, so you should always be prepared. Wind can also be quite strong at times, and if it’s too severe the program may be canceled. What is the best time of year for stargazing? There’s just no “best” time. The sky during every season is always exciting, but the weather can be good or bad, just like anywhere else. On average, Borrego does tend to see more clouds (and occasionally some rain) during the winter and late summer, but this is quite variable from year to year. Be aware that there is no way to know what any particular night will be like until that night. I’ve checked the long-range weather forecast and it doesn’t look good. Should I cancel my visit? That’s up to you. Just remember the 3-day cancellation policy. However, one should never trust a desert forecast more than a few minutes in advance. Conditions can change quickly and unexpectedly, especially after dark. There are never any guarantees when it comes to weather, and occasionally observing conditions turn out to be quite different than expected. What kind of weather can force a cancellation? Keep in mind that a weather forecast and actual observing conditions are two completely different things. Cloud cover is only one factor that can affect observations and force a cancellation; others include, but are not limited to, precipitation, strong winds, blowing sand, high humidity and dew, significant air turbulence (what astronomers call “poor seeing”), smoke, ash, nearby thunderheads or lightning strikes, flash flood watches or warnings, and other force majeure events can also force a cancellation of the night's program. Unfortunately, some of these do not show up on weather forecasts and cannot often be known in advance, and actual desert sky conditions can sometimes deviate quite far from the forecasts and can change sometimes within only minutes. What happens if the conditions are bad on the day of my Sky Tour? Desert conditions can change quickly and dramatically, but only rarely does it become so bad that we cannot observe. Dennis will monitor conditions that day, and if he determines that weather will force a cancellation of the program he will send a text message later in the day to the cell phone number you provide (as well as a detailed e-mail), and you may then choose to reschedule or receive a full refund. I'll be in town for a few days... if poor weather cancels the program can we do it the next night? Sometimes the following night can be used as a backup for those staying in town over a few nights. If, on the other hand, you're leaving town, you can look over the program calendar to select another date that would be convenient for you or choose to receive a refund.. Suppose I'm just driving into Borrego for the Night Sky Tour? This   is   never   a   good   idea . If you choose to make the round-trip drive without staying in town (at least for one night) you risk a long drive for nothing if a late weather cancellation becomes necessary. Borrego is at least two hours drive from most places, and this is strongly discouraged, especially during the frequently-unstable desert weather patterns of winter and mid-late summer. Please don't ask Dennis to make a weather decision before you leave home so you can avoid the drive; it's often impossible to judge a night's observing conditions in advance. There are plenty of other things to do in town that would make a longer stay more sensible. AFTER THE SKY TOUR Hey, this Sky Tour was great! How can I let others know about my experience? You can write a review of the program—and read others'—at TripAdvisor and the Borrego Night Sky Tours Facebook Page . Suppose I want to come back... will there be different things to see? Absolutely! The evening sky changes gradually throughout the year, and there are different celestial sights available during each season. For example, if you want to see the Milky Way in all its glory, the summer months are best. Can I book Dennis for an upcoming celestial event? Occasionally that might be possible, but his schedule is often booked more than a year ahead, and these events are frequently planned with local resorts or tour companies. He is available for other special events and presentations, however. Just email Dennis directly. How can I keep up with other astronomical programs and sky events? There are several ways to stay informed. The best is to “Like” and “Follow” him on Facebook and Twitter. Another is to read his weekly syndicated column Stargazers ; you can subscribe free via e-mail so you'll never miss another celestial event again! And, finally, be sure to check out Dennis’ website for even more information.

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