October skies bring a howl, star party, dance

It’s our time to howl.

October is Night Sky month, time to celebrate Wimberley Valley’s wonderfully dark sky. You asked when the Moonlight Howl would be back; it’s coming Oct. 20, bigger, better and – with your voice – louder. There will even be a Howl and Dance at Blue Hole Park.

Plus, the Fall’s first Blue Hole Star Party is set for this weekend.

Every night is a great night – weather cooperating – to enjoy the blessing of our marvelous dark sky. October is officially proclaimed Hill Country Night Sky Month by Hays County, the City of Wimberley and may also be soon by the City of Woodcreek.

The Hill Country Alliance (HCA), which supports dark skies and promoted Hill Country Night Sky Month, lists several Night Sky/Dark Sky activities on their October Event Calendar at www.nightskymonth.com (click on events).

But no need to travel. The Wimberley Valley Dark Sky Committee (WVDSC) and the City of Wimberley’s Blue Hole Regional Park are co-sponsoring two free Night Sky events here in the Wimberley Valley, an officially designated International Dark Sky Commu nity.

The next Blue Hole Star Party starts at 8 pm Saturday (Oct. 2), on the soccer field at Blue Hole – 100 Blue Hole Lane. No reservations are required.

This time there are no circles to sit in. There will be several telescopes so everyone will get many chances to eyeball the celestial wonders. Masks are suggested for the safety of the telescope operators and other guests. If the weather gods are kind, it should be an excellent night for seeing stars, planets and more.

“There was just a small moon that night,” says WVDSC chair Greg Webb. “Too much moon makes it hard to see the stars, but we found people really enjoy looking at the moon through the telescope. This way they can view moon details, but it’s still dark enough to see stars and planets well.”

Suggested arrival time is 7:30 p.m., with activities beginning at 8 p.m. In the park, drive around the upper recreational loop to park near the basketball court. Please turn off your headlights immediately to avoid night-blinding others. Flashlights covered by red cellophane are recommended around the telescopes.

Last year’s Howl was an idea of WVDSC member and astronomy teacher Jamie Kinscherff, who also organized Blue Hole’s first Star Party in 2018. “I was inspired by a small town in Montana that was making noise to honor their health care workers,” Kinscherff says. “I just adapted that. The HCA has embraced it, promoting it throughout the Hill County.”

This year’s bigger Hill Country Howl can take place wherever you are at 8:30 p.m. Oct. 20; get family and friends together and howl your lungs out at the full moon. Or come join others at Blue Hole Park at 8 p.m. for a dance in the moonlight, complete with moon-themed songs and a deejay.

“It will be a fun little dance, and then we will pause at 8:30 (p.m.) to do a collective howl at the full moon,” says Richard Shaver, Director, Wimberley Parks and Recreation. “Then we will finish dancing until 9 p.m. There are no tickets or reservations required, just come and have a good time.”