Every Summer…
Every summer, amateur astronomers from across California and beyond make the journey to one of the state’s premier dark-sky gatherings—the Golden State Star Party (GSSP). This year’s event, held July 11–15 at Frosty Acres in Northern California, once again brought together an incredible community of observers, imagers, and friends who share a passion for the night sky.
Thank You, Rich Ozer
A special thank you goes to Rich Ozer, who once again did an outstanding job organizing the event. Running a star party is no small task, and Rich and the volunteer team created another welcoming and well-organized experience for everyone who attended.
Each evening, attendees gathered for presentations, community dinners, and other events, adding another opportunity for friends old and new to come together before another night under the stars.
Rich Ozer welcoming attendees during one of the evening community gatherings.
A Forecast That Didn’t Stop Anyone
Leading up to the event, the weather forecast wasn’t encouraging. Predictions called for significant cloud cover, and many wondered if the skies would cooperate. But true to the spirit of the astronomy community, a large number of dedicated stargazers packed their telescopes, cameras, and camping gear and made the trip anyway. After all, star parties are about much more than clear skies—they’re about the people who share the adventure.
Ironically, those forecasted clouds rewarded us with some of the most spectacular sunsets of the week.
Cloudy skies eventually gave way to spectacular observing opportunities beneath the summer sky.
The ZWO Booth Stayed Busy
The ZWO booth stayed busy throughout the event. It was wonderful catching up with so many familiar faces while also meeting newcomers who are just beginning their astrophotography journey.
The ZWO booth quickly became a gathering place throughout the event.Visitors stopped by to discuss imaging techniques, compare equipment, ask questions about cameras, mounts, and ASIAIR, and of course ask the question we heard countless times:
“When is the next Seestar coming out?”
The excitement surrounding the Seestar family continues to grow, and it’s always exciting to see how these smart telescopes are introducing more people to astronomy while inspiring experienced imagers to expand their setups.
Visitors explored ZWO equipment and shared their latest imaging experiences.
Some of the best conversations at GSSP happen around telescopes.
It’s About the People
In the end, GSSP 2026 wasn’t defined by the weather—it was defined by the people. The conversations around camp, the shared excitement when the clouds finally parted, the willingness to help fellow astronomers, and the friendships that continue to grow year after year are what make this event so special.
Astronomy brings together an amazing community.
Old friends reunited while new friendships were formed.
Until Next Year…
Thank you to everyone who stopped by the ZWO booth to say hello, share your images, ask questions, and spend time with us. We always enjoy hearing your stories and seeing how you’re using ZWO equipment to explore the universe.
We’ll see you under the stars at the next star party. Clear skies!
Until next year… clear skies from the ZWO team!
Photo Credits
• Welcome to GSSP (Hero Image): Photo by Amber
• Telescopes / Sky Clears: Photo by Ashish J
• All remaining event photographs: Courtesy of the ZWO team (unless otherwise noted).
