Louisville Astronomical Society
LAS STAR CAMP
The 2024 Louisville Astronomical Society Scout Astronomy Merit Badge Program
The 2024 Louisville Astronomical Society Star Camp Program provides you with everything needed for your scouts to complete a majority of their Boy Scout Merit Badge requirements or receive credit toward the Cub Scout Science Everywhere, Out of This World and Adventures in Science modules of the STEM/NOVA award.
LAS STAR CAMP is an exciting weekend of instruction, camping and stargazing. Two Great locations - LAS Urban Astronomy Center (UAC) at E.P. “Tom” Sawyer Park in Louisville and the LAS Curby Dark Sky Site in Curby, Indiana, just one hour from Louisville near Marengo Cave and Cave Country Canoes. Directions to each property are at www.louisville-astro.org under LAS Observing Venues.
The Curby Dark Sky Site and the Urban Astronomy Center both have heated and air-conditioned buildings with a classroom, indoor restrooms and kitchens, acres of camping fields with fire rings and wooded areas with hiking trails. The Curby, IN location has a roll-off roof observatory with four telescopes and the UAC has a classroom and an assortment of scopes for you to view the moon, stars and planets. The UAC is perfect for Tigers and Cubs and can be used for overnight or you can just have a campfire and stargazing. The preferred weekends for Curby for the remainder of 2024 are Feb 9, Mar 1, Apr 26, May 10, Jun 28, Jul 26, Aug 23, Sep 20, Oct 25, Nov 22. These dates will ensure a dark sky and plenty of experts for your event.
Scout leaders, parents and siblings are $5.00 total each. Minimum group size is 10 or $100.00 minimum. Contact our LAS Scout Coordinator, Eric Berendsen, at eric.bear1964@gmail.com or call him at 502-386-2532 to schedule your Star Camp program. Eric is an experienced scout leader with fifteen years experience with BSA Troop 243 and AHG Troop 1031 and he will be very helpful in your planning.
Please note: * Scouts and leaders are hereby notified that they will be walking around in the dark to preserve our dark sky site creating a tripping hazard due to uneven ground and unlit areas. All flashlights used are to have red lenses. A red balloon will do! * Scouts and leaders enter the wooded areas of our property at their own risk. The trails are natural and may be muddy and slippery. The woods have dead limbs and trees that may create a hazard from falling. All camping is to be staged away from the possibility of falling trees or limbs.
Please Note: * Scouting troops and Cub Packs must have dual leadership and it is assumed by the LAS that all scouts have an annual release form on file with the BSA. * The LAS and its members and volunteers are to be held harmless from any and all claims of bodily injury, sickness, disease or death (including loss or damage to tangible property) to any child, Scout leader or parent that might occur during this program.LAS STAR CAMP 2024.pdf