Orange Blossom Special 2026
International Star Party
January 14 through January 18
Introduction
The St. Petersburg Astronomy Club will proudly host our 33rd Orange Blossom Special International Star Party at “Withlacoochee River Park” in Dade City, Florida.
The many amenities of Withlacoochee River Park include darker skies and a 30-acre activity field for camping and viewing. There are a limited number of electric and water hookups, so you will want to register early. The park has room to roam, a 1.7-mile paved multi-purpose trail, 13 miles of hiking trails, a 40-foot observation tower, three wooden boardwalks, two playground areas for the kids, and river access for boating in your canoe or kayak.
The Park‘s well-maintained hiking trails are also perfect for bicycle riding. There are trails along the nearby Green Swamp to explore an untouched wilderness of amazing flora and fauna. Each year at OBS we conduct a guided biking tour for those interested in experiencing this unique environment.
Fishing is permitted by boat or along the riverbank. Persons 16 years of age and older must have either a valid Florida or Non-Resident fishing license. Refer to www.myfwc.com for specifics of State fishing regulations. BTW, there’s rather good bass fishing in the Withlacoochee River.
Annual Telescope Raffle
We have a Dwarf 3 donated by Dwarf Lab for this year's raffle scope to be awarded at our club’s Orange Blossom Special Star Party, January 14 through January 18. It integrates a small, portable telescope, an astronomy camera, and a computerized mount into a single device, controlled primarily via a smartphone app.
Online raffle tickets are $10 donation/each or 3 for $25. All donations go to the St. Petersburg Astronomy Club.
The drawing will be conducted on Saturday January 17th and the winner will be announced via email to all participants. You do not need to be present to win. However, it will be the winner’s responsibility to arrange pick-up.
Questions: Questions or concerns should be directed to Michael Partain - SpacStarParty@gmail.com.
Star Party Apparel: OBS apparel may be ordered from the manufacturer:
