Texas Star Party, Inc.

The Texas Star Party (TSP) is a large annual star party held in the United States, typically taking place at the Prude Guest Ranch near Fort Davis, Texas. Founded in 1979, it is one of the oldest and largest gatherings of amateur astronomers in North America, drawing attendees from across the continent and overseas. The event is mainly organized by amateur astronomy groups with support from the University of Texas' McDonald Observatory, and is operated by Texas Star Party, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Held each year in late April or May near the time of new moon, TSP offers a week of dark-sky observing under Bortle Class 2 skies at an elevation of approximately 5,040 feet, roughly 12 miles from the McDonald Observatory. Activities include visual observing and astrophotography, guest speakers, technical presentations, observing programs and challenges, an astrophotography contest, vendor displays, and tours of the McDonald Observatory. The event is run almost entirely by volunteers and traditionally presents two annual awards: the Lone Star Gazer Award and the Omega Centauri Award. The 2027 Texas Star Party is scheduled for May 2–9, 2027, at the Prude Guest Ranch, roughly 12 miles from the McDonald Observatory.

Observatory data from Wikidata (CC0). Summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).