DeKalb may not be glamorous, but you can still party with the stars.

The DeKalb County Forest Preserve and the Northwest Suburban Astronomers are hosting Star Party, a free stargazing event Saturday night at the Afton Forest Preserve. Sunset is 7:37 p.m. on Saturday, so participants should plan on being at the preserve no later than 7:30.

Afton Forest Preserve, 13600 Crego Road, is considered an ideal place for DeKalb residents to enjoy nature, Julia Fauci, chairman of the Forest Preserve Commission said.

“Afton is the finest preserve in the county,” Fauci said. “It’s a beautiful example of restored prairie.”

The preserve features protected wetlands, which are vanishing across the state, as well as prairie and forest, Fauci said.

The Northwest Suburban Astronomers [NSA], based in Hoffman Estates has been coming to Afton for at least 12 years for meetings and viewing sessions said Terry Hannan, superintendent of the DeKalb County Forest Preserve.

“The reason they’re out here is there are dark skies in DeKalb County,” Hannan said.

The proximity to the suburbs makes largely rural DeKalb a convenient location for the NSA.

“We take stars we can see out here for granted. When you go to the suburbs, you can hardly see anything,” Fauci said.

The lack of tree cover in Afton also contributes to visibility.

While the county offers access to the park, NSA runs the public events, providing large telescopes for participants to view the cosmos.

“The size of these telescopes, these things are just massive! They’ll have them trained on a specific nebula, and an observer can come in and they let you look at it and tell you all about it,” Fauci said.

This time of year, stargazers can expect to see Jupiter and constellations Sagittarius and Cassiopeia, according to the NSA website.

All of the county’s forest preserves are open during the day and closed at nightfall, but Star Party allows the public to be in the park after hours, as long as they stay in the designated area.

“It’s a special time to be in the preserve,” Fauci said.

DeKalb county gives NSA permission to use the preserve after hours provided they host public events every few months, said Fauci.

“These people are amateur astronomers but they really know what they are doing. They love to show off a little bit, but they should, because they are very knowledgeable.”

Hannan said that local college students might find enjoyment in the park as well, especially at Star Party.

“I think coming to Afton is great for students for the educational experience and the connection to nature,” Hannan said.

Participants are encouraged by Hannan to enjoy the park in the daylight before Star Party with a hike or picnic. Warm clothing and insect repellent are suggested as well as a flash light covered with red plastic or cellophane, which helps preserve night vision. Afton Forest Preserve is located 4.5 miles south of I-88 at 13600 Crego Road.