Starparty Summer is HERE! or...Stellafane Part 2

Memorial Day has passed, and while it is not Astronomical Summer (that is, the Solstice) for all intents and purposes, the Summer Season of Starparties, Group Observing, and summer cookouts where people in my circles bring Skittles, Chips, Hot Chocolate, Beer, Cokes and a telescope and lawn chair or zero gravity reclining lawn chair to use with Big Binos or small.

 

First, the list of Starparties 

Please Note: These are all in the East, reachable by yours truly. There are many more all over the US.

• Cherry Springs Star Party, Cherry Springs State Park, PA: June 10-13, 2010;

• Green Bank Star Quest, Green Bank, West VA: July 7-10, 2010;
• AOS StarFest, Roxbury, NY:  July 9-11, 2010;
• Mason Dixon Summer Starparty, York County, PA: July 9-11, 2010;
• Stellafane, Springfield, Vermont: August 5-8, 2010;
• Astronomers Conjunction, Northfield, Massachusetts: August 20-21, 2010;
• Almost Heaven Starparty, Spring Knob, West VA: September 3-7, 2010;
• Black Forest Star Party, Cherry Springs State Park, PA: September 10-12, 2010; and,
• Connecticut Star Party, Ashford, CT September 18-20 2010...there are more...perhaps in a later blog post...

I have only previously attended Stellafane and the Connecticut Star Party, but I hope to add a few more to my list this year. You should try to attend at least two on this list Dear Reader and Astronomer.

Second, Make friends of your neighbors--A mini Starparty!

Whether you know your neighbors well or not, sometime goodwill is needed when lights are turned on by motion sensors in the neighborhood, or other assistance may be needed.

1. Invite neighbors over. Include their kids!
2. Serve hot dogs an burgers and have your telescope in a prominent place in your yard.
3. Ask if they might like to see Saturn or Mars after it gets dark.
4. Everyone becomes a kid at a telescope eyepiece. Have a list of objects to view--if you have a Meade goto telescope, use the "Tonight's Best" feature in the Tour Menu.
5. People will go home after coffee, S'mores and hot chocolate, glad there is a person in their  neighborhood who is an astronomer.  They will be more courteous with their lights, too!

Third and Last, Join an Astronomy Club and Participate!

Find an Astronomy Club in your area. That link will bring you to the Astronomical League's locator of "member societies" or "astronomy clubs", making it easier to find like minded folks and make friends. Or, find an Astronomy Club from a list alphabetized by state. You may be surprised to find how much fun it is to observe in your own back yard with fellow astronomers. You can learn much peeking through other members' telescopes and great friendships may be forged under the Milky Way's light!

Well, that is it for now, Dear Astronomers! Please comment if you found any of these Summer Suggestions helpful or you know of a starparty or can report on any in my list! Enjoy the night!

Stellafane! "Shrine to the Stars"

Well, the Grandaddy of all starparties, Stellafane, or more officially, "The Stellafane Convention" opened Online Registration this week. Wow! This must be an important post--I hear you cry--fifteen words into the post and the Metacom Observatory guy already has given us 3 links! Use the links, folks! Find out all you can about Stellafane and its lore. Learn about the Pink Clubhouse and The Springfield Telescope Makers  and its founder, Russell W. Porter and about the wonders of the Springfield, Vermont Skies.

Although really an astronomy convention and telescope making competition, much of the time is spent observing under dark skies on a small mountain along the New Hampshire border in mid Vermont. Although, the Milky Way can cast a shadow some years, depending on atmospreric conditions, these are not the darkest skies in North America. However, the sense of fellowship, friendship, welcoming volunteers and sprawling grounds entice generations of families to return, year after year.

I have been attending the Stellafane Convention since 2006. The first year I attended, no one was allowed on the grounds until 9:00 AM Friday Morning, opening the Convention. Therefore, members of my astronomy club, the Astronomical Society of Southern New England (ASSNE) caravaned to Springfield, camped Thursday night in a nearby campground (it clouded up and rained that night) and then broke camp at 5:00 AM and drove a mile or so to Stellafane to wait in line at the gate, enter and set up a new camp. Well, Stellafane realized they could allow Conventioneers in on Thursday afternoon and charge folks a modest fee for an extra night of camping and observing while taking some pressure off of the gate and the volunteers on Friday morning...

As an added result, ASSNE found a campsite that works for us, is large enough as our numbers have grown and relatively renoved from the busier areas and walking distance to everything in Stellafane. Catch the shuttlebus to the Pink Clubhouse at the tee shirt hut to avoid the walk up Breezy Hill. I love the Food Tent, where one might have breakfast with any number of well-known astronomers or a few new friends that let you peek through their 30 inch telescope last night...the grounds around the Pink Clubhouse are a wonderful site to display the wonderful, home-made telescopes and you miss a treat if you do not spend some of your days at Stellafane wandering those hallowed grounds. See the sundial on the back of the Clubhouse! See the photos that adorn the inner walls of the Clubhouse! See the Solar System walk up Breezy Hill!

On Saturday Morning, go to the Swap Tables to find a treasure or two. Stellafane has a strict policy against commercialism and vendors at the convention, but Conventioneers may sell their own telescopes, acessories, telescope-making supplies and parts, books and more at the Swaps areas.

Later in the day, attend the traditional barbecue and the Convention Meeting in the open ampitheater below the food tent (or in the enclosed Flanders Pavillion when weather threatens) where a raffle is held before the Keynote Speakers. Often, raffle winners can claim some wonderful eyepieces, tee-shirts, telescope accessories and books...

End of part one...ready to register? Stayed tuned for Part Two...

Begin at the place we must begin...the beginning.

Join me as we begin this journey to view, enjoy and love the night sky. Share your observations with me and enjoy the images and words I have to share...

Saturn is a favorite of everyone and especially children. It is the object every astronomer hopes will be high enough in the sky the first time you get to look through a good telescope.

As I post this, very early in the morning of March 1, 2010, Saturn rises at about 8:00PM. Saturn looks like any fairly bright star, if you don't know the night sky, you may not find it easily without a starchart. Mars, on the other hand is a lovely, bright red-orange star almost at zenith, very high in the sky.

Children get very excited about looking through a good telescope. If properly prepared, children, beginning around 8 to 10 years old, may be able to operate a telescope with some adult supervision. When taught how to use a telescope, most well-raised children respect the telescope and accessories used. There are lots of things to see in the night sky

nowadays and as all of the images of Mars and Saturn on this page used good but medium-sized telescopes and very modest photographic equipment and made by yours truly.

So, come along for the ride as I post Adventures in Astronomy with some of you commenting and hopefully some guest imagers and guest bloggers as well. Enjoy the ride!--GNH

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