More than 40 amateur astronomers attended the bi-annual Southern Star Party (SSP), held at Leeuwenboschfontein Guest Farm outside Touws River in the Western Cape from 22 to 27 February 2017.

The Square Kilometre Array South Africa (SKA SA) participated in the event, which was organised by the StarPeople, a volunteer amateur astronomy group based in Cape Town.

A star party consists of a group of passionate amateur astronomers getting together to have a look at the sky. The various activities at this year’s SSP included astrophotography practical sessions, an astronomy quiz, guided observations of the sky, lectures and workshops, and a Messier Marathon where participants race to find as many Messier objects (astronomical objects that can look like comets, but are not) as possible over a single night. The solar eclipse on 26 February was a highlight of the event, despite only being partially visible from the Western Cape.

Lorenzo Raynard, SKA SA General Manager: Communications and Stakeholder Relations, presented a lecture that explained the nature, quality and critical role of communications in a big science project such as SKA.

He outlined the role amateur astronomers play in the public engagement of astronomy and invited the amateur astronomy sector to collaborate with SKA SA in the co-design of public awareness and school outreach projects.

SKA SA also hosted NASA Deputy Chief Technologist (Ret.) Jim Adams, who presented a lecture about how investments in big astronomy and space sciences projects, such as SKA, will always yield unintended technology and innovation spin-offs.

The next SSP will be held at Leeuwenboschfontein Guest Farm in October 2017. More information about SSP can be found at https://southernstarparty.org/