For the Kids of All Ages
One of the biggest reasons to do these star parties is for the kids, even the big ones! Our young inquisitive minds are our most valuable resource, and helping them expand their horizons is well worth the effort. And there's nothing like the experience of that first "Oh WOW!" when a guest looks through the telescope for the first time.
Here we're looking at M13, a globular cluster in the constellation of Hercules. In the background you can see the W shaped constellation of Cassiopeia. The center of the W points towars Polaris, the North Star, which can be seen just off the left corner of the dew shield.