Even though I grew up in a pretty rural area, I didn’t see my first shooting star till I was around 30. I remember feeling totally delighted, surprised, and in awe, laying in the backyard of a BnB with my ex in the far Northwest corner of Connecticut, watching the Perseid meteor shower in August.
I wish everyone could have that experience.
So I have some suggestions for
A Grown-Up Stargazing Party.
Obviously, this works best if you can celebrate the cosmos in a spot with little to no light pollution from a nearby city or freeway. Check this map to see the night sky quality your location, or plan a getaway.
Even if you have a tough time seeing the stars because of where you live, you can still plan a lovely backyard gathering or space themed party any time of year with these tips.
Here’s a list of meteor showers visible from the Northern Hemisphere throughout the year.
Plan to stay awake: meteors give the best show after midnight.
Backyard gear
You’ll need the usual outdoor party basics, including probably mosquito and tick repellant.
I recommend guests bring a jacket or sweater— depending on where you are, it can get surprisingly chilly after dark, even in the middle of summer. And as the temp drops, dew will start to form on the grass and outdoor furniture and you, making it feel even cooler.
For the same reason, you’ll want to lay a waterproof tarp under your blankets or air mattresses on the grass.
Fully-reclining lounge chairs will be nice to have for anyone who doesn’t want to get right down on the ground.
And it’ll be nice to have extra, lightweight blankets for guests to wrap up.
Night vision
This is the one time you’ll want to keep the fire pit cold, or at least put it out early in the evening.
And you’ll want to keep outdoor lighting to a minimum once the sun goes down, so your eyes can adjust to the dark naturally and really see the stars and planets in high contrast.
Use red-shaded lighting if possible (it’s easier on your night-adjusted eyes), and of course use common sense to provide a safe way for guests to go back and forth to the house as needed.
DIY these cobalt blue bottle lights for some sparkle.
Starlight snacks
Plan a menu of your summer dinner favorites. Then provide space-inspired desserts and snacks for after dark.
Gather Journal offered this celestial menu a couple of years ago (scroll down to the Space section).
Here’s a recipe for Blackout Cake, and instructions for Moon Phase Cookies, also from Gather.
Splurge on space champagne.
Music of the spheres
Put together a soundtrack of starry, spacy tunes.
Here’s one suggested track list, a readymade mix, and a romantic set.
OK, one more via Rookie Mag (RIP).
Galactic gifts
We like these cool, understated constellation pins.
We also love a quality pen – like this Fisher Space Pen with silver ink.
Galaxy lollipops are like tasty, edible art on a stick.
And when you do, we would love to see your pics.
Tag us on Facebook or Instagram if you plan your own sophisticated space jam.