York County Star Party

09/12/2025

Hello! Please send email to [email protected]

Everything went well in September, though Wednesday was a bit wet. Observing took place Thursday (though dew took over around midnight), and Friday, which was dry and clear, some of the best ever at this site. Saturday night was mostly cloudy.
Overall, 2 clear nights out 4, not a bad ratio.
Phil

Send a message to learn more

05/23/2024

04/05/2024

Hello everyone! I hope you are all well, I've been quiet, but I'm still here...
I'm Phil, the person responsible for the York County Star Party, now located in south Lancaster County, at Susquehannock State Park since 2019.
Please see the website at:
www.yorkcountystarparty.org
for updates and info. I try to keep quiet unless I have things to say, so I'll be getting busier here now, working on webpages and some other ideas.

I hope everyone is planning on enjoying Monday's eclipse safely wherever you plan to see it.
I've been watching the weather, and I'm cautiously optimistic that the East Coast might have some of the best skies for seeing it, even if we can't see totality from here.

Please check the dates for the 2024 star parties, the June Party is only about 2 months away.

I've invested in solar equipment as well as a generator that can provide a decent starting amount of electric for recharging phones and equipment.

As always, I thank everyone for your support! YOU continue to help make this event successful, I can't do it without you!
Hope to see you at one or both events this year.
--Phil

Supplier for Sky Shed Pods in Pennsylvania, USA

03/09/2023

Wordle 628 4/6

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02/26/2023

Hello all! 2023 York County Star Party dates:
June 14-18
September 13-17
Website:
yorkcountystarparty.org
Updates on group list:
https://groups.io/g/YCSP

Please stay tuned as updates will start appearing as time permits. Much prep has been going on in the background, and a poll for 2024 dates will be put on the group site.

02/12/2022

New parties in 2023:

June 14-18
AND
September 13-17

Location: Susquehannock State Park, Lancaster County, PA, since 2019

Easily accessible from major highways

Surrounded by Amish farms, observing sites surrounded by tall pines, few light domes visible, superb camp sites (no mud!), flush toilets, pavilion, dumpster, water and electric near pavilion, playground, and a shower tent available.

Some of the best viewing in the mid-Atlantic big cities area (NYC, NJ, Philly, Delaware, Baltimore/DC, Harrisburg, Northern Virginia)

Camping fees are included in your registration!

Website registration page is being updated soon, has GPS and other info. Please join the group to get updates:
https://groups.io/g/YCSP

Your host is Phil De Rosa, previously chairperson for the Mason Dixon Star Party for 13 of it's 26 years, at all of its sites since 1995.
Please join us and keep the party going!
Phil

02/12/2022

2022 update:

https://www.facebook.com/1409091372642615/posts/3066737500211319/

02/12/2022

New parties in 2022:

June 22-26
AND
September 21-25

Location: Susquehannock State Park, Lancaster County, PA, since 2019

Easily accessible from major highways

Surrounded by Amish farms, observing sites surrounded by tall pines, few light domes visible, superb camp sites (no mud, ever!), flush toilets, pavilion, dumpster, some water and electric near pavilion, playground, a shower available.

Some of the best viewing in the mid-Atlantic big cities area (NYC, NJ, Philly, Delaware, Baltimore/DC, Harrisburg, Northern Virginia)

Camping fees are included in your registration!

Website registration page is being updated soon, has GPS and other info. Please join groups.io to get updates, using link on website.

Your host is Phil De Rosa, previously chairperson for the Mason Dixon Star Party at all of its sites since 1995 (13 of it's 26 years).
Please join us and keep the party going!
Phil

05/16/2021

UPDATE MAY 16, 2021

Hello everyone!
I've been holding my breath (and wearing a mask) for what seems like forever, deciding when it might be safe enough to restart this star party.
Well, it seems like that time has arrived.
THEY ARE:

September 8-12, 2021
*****AND****
October 6-11, 2021
..now being held at Susquehannock State Park, Drumore, PA
The best place to get info is at:
www.yorkcountystarparty.org

I will begin updating that website, and I hope we do not have another wave of this dreaded virus occur to spoil the remainder of this year.
‐---------------------------
Thoughts about Covid:

It seems obvious to me that vaccinations and masks have been making the difference in keeping people safer, and I sincerely hope people continue to get vaccinated ASAP for the sake of everyone. Everyone you know, everyone in the country, and everyone on the planet. Not to do so risks the return of stay-at-home orders and shutdowns of schools and businesses, as seen in Europe and other countries.

And to those that don't intend to get vaccinated, please give some serious thought to your choices:

1. Consider getting the vaccine, just in case you may be mistaken in your beliefs, and possibly risk a couple days discomfort to help end this pandemic, and not infect others...
OR
2. Remain at risk of getting seriously sick, hospitalized, have residual health effects, or even death for you, your family, friends, and others.
THERE ARE NO OTHER CHOICES

While I am not saying option 2 is a certainty, I AM saying it IS a risk. I personally would feel terrible gambling with this choice, given the magnitude of the differences in the results.

While not everyone that gets covid will get sick, many do, and everyone that gets infected can infect their family and friends and promote this pandemic.

Personally, I would rather have a couple bad days. This seems like the more patriotic choice. And I get to have a clear conscious.

Phil

05/16/2021

UPDATE MAY 16, 2021

Hello everyone!
I've been holding my breath (and been wearing a mask) for what seems like forever, deciding when it might be safe enough to restart this star party.
Well, it seems like that time has arrived. THEY ARE:

September 8-12, 2021
*****AND****
October 6-11, 2021
..now being held at Susquehannock State Park, Drumore, PA
The best place to get info is at:
www.yorkcountystarparty.org

Registration is limited by PA State Parks, and will be going live soon.

I will begin updating that website, and I hope we do not have another wave of this dreaded virus occur to spoil the remainder of this year.
‐---------------------------

It seems obvious to me that vaccinations and masks have been making the difference in keeping people safer, and I sincerely hope people continue to get vaccinated ASAP for the sake of everyone. Not to do so risks the return of stay-at-home orders and shutdowns of schools and businesses, as seen in Europe and other countries.

And to those that don't intend to get vaccinated, please give some thought to your choices:

1. Get the vaccine, just in case you may be mistaken in your beliefs, and possibly risk a couple days discomfort to help end this pandemic, and not infect others...
OR
2. Remain at risk of getting seriously sick, hospitalized, have residual health effects, or even death for you, your family, friends, and others.
THERE ARE NO OTHER CHOICES

While I am not saying option 2 is a certainty, I AM saying it IS a risk. I personally would feel terrible gambling with this choice, given the magnitude of the differences in the results.

While not everyone that gets covid will get sick, many do, and everyone that gets infected can infect their family and friends and promote this pandemic.

Personally, I would rather have a couple bad days. This seems like the more patriotic choice. And I get to have a clear conscious.

Phil

12/14/2020

Just a quick check in on this solar eclipse day. Just moved north to New Market, MD, so a little closer to York. Now have enough land and clear horizon to build an observatory. Hopefully no problems with the HOA. Anyhow, I miss the star parties and can't wait until we can all gather again under the stars, safely.