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Stellafane



 
 
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  #1  
Old July 25th 08, 02:03 PM posted to sci.astro.amateur
Dennis Woos
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Posts: 559
Default Stellafane

Anybody going to Stellafane? My sons and I will be there, and are looking
forward to another great weekend of amateur astronomy. It has been
rain,rain,rain here in Vermont, but we are hopeful that we will have gotten
the rain out of our system and that 8/1-8/3 will be wonderfully clear.

Last year we didn't bring any optics, and spent our observing time looking
through other's (mostly big) scopes. This was a useful reminder that big is
often not better! This year, I am tempted to again roam the fields but spend
more time observing with smaller and homemade scopes. The view through a
great 6" is just fine by me.

I wonder if John Dobson will be there? Some years ago, my older son pointed
out Dobson sitting on a rock with a bunch of folks sitting around him,
preaching his cosmology. My son said that it looked like a scene out of the
New Testament. We still laugh about that, and it has been added to our
Sellafane lore.

For those of you who haven't gone, and who could go, I want you encourage
you to make the effort. It is a memorable experience.

Dennis


  #2  
Old July 25th 08, 04:11 PM posted to sci.astro.amateur
Howard Lester
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Posts: 132
Default Stellafane

"Dennis Woos" wrote

Anybody going to Stellafane?


Maybe I will next year.


  #3  
Old July 25th 08, 05:27 PM posted to sci.astro.amateur
Jan Owen[_2_]
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Default Stellafane

"Howard Lester" wrote in message
...
"Dennis Woos" wrote

Anybody going to Stellafane?


Maybe I will next year.


Howard the short-timer's getting too short to carry on a long
conversation... Heheheh!!! You go, Howie!!!

--
Jan Owen

To reach me directly, remove the Z, if one appears in my e-mail address...
Latitude: 33.6
Longitude: -112.3
http://community.webshots.com/user/janowen21


  #4  
Old July 25th 08, 10:04 PM posted to sci.astro.amateur
[email protected]
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Posts: 185
Default Stellafane

On Jul 25, 7:03*am, "Dennis Woos" wrote:

Anybody going to Stellafane? My sons and I will be there, and are looking
forward to another great weekend of amateur astronomy. (snip . . .)


Stellafane has always been too far for me (unfortunately). I'm giving
Wyoming's "Weekend Under the Stars" some consideration, but even that
one is pushing it a bit for me. I'm sure you'll have a good time! If
you get a chance to take and upload some photos I would be interested
in chasing down the link.

On a more personal plug: I finally purchased my first digital camera.
Some day photos taken around my roll-off-roof observatory have been
uploaded to my blog;-)

Bill Greer
To sketch is to see.
http://cejour.blogspot.com
http://www.rangeweb.net/~sketcher
  #5  
Old July 25th 08, 10:27 PM posted to sci.astro.amateur
katrinaxx
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Posts: 67
Default Stellafane

Very, very nice!

Cathy
Diamond Bell, AZ


wrote in message
...
On Jul 25, 7:03 am, "Dennis Woos" wrote:


On a more personal plug: I finally purchased my first digital camera.
Some day photos taken around my roll-off-roof observatory have been
uploaded to my blog;-)

Bill Greer
To sketch is to see.
http://cejour.blogspot.com
http://www.rangeweb.net/~sketcher

  #6  
Old July 26th 08, 01:53 AM posted to sci.astro.amateur
George Normandin[_1_]
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Posts: 1,022
Default Stellafane


"Dennis Woos" wrote in message ...

Anybody going to Stellafane?


Short answer: Yes I'm going, and planning to arrive on Thursday!



I've been to Stellafane every year since 1995. The long range forecast looks
poor, but I even went the year of the two hurricanes: Bonnie and Charley
that hit about 24 hours apart. While observing is important Stellafane is
really about amateur telescope making, and to a lesser extent the history of
the ATM movement, so there is lots to do even if it rains all weekend.
However, I've never seen a Convention that I didn't get to do *some*
observing, but a few years it was limited to 5 minutes or so of sucker hole
viewing of something like M-57 thru a small scope.



As for scope size: I own 6, 8, 10, and 20 inch scopes, but often find myself
observing with my 20x80 binoculars. I enjoy 'um all, but my preference is
observing with 20-inch and larger scopes when possible.



George N

  #7  
Old July 27th 08, 12:08 AM posted to sci.astro.amateur
jeff
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Posts: 9
Default Stellafane

Dennis Woos wrote:
Anybody going to Stellafane? My sons and I will be there, and are looking
forward to another great weekend of amateur astronomy. It has been
rain,rain,rain here in Vermont, but we are hopeful that we will have gotten
the rain out of our system and that 8/1-8/3 will be wonderfully clear.

Last year we didn't bring any optics, and spent our observing time looking
through other's (mostly big) scopes. This was a useful reminder that big is
often not better! This year, I am tempted to again roam the fields but spend
more time observing with smaller and homemade scopes. The view through a
great 6" is just fine by me.

I wonder if John Dobson will be there?


John will not be here this year. His east coast loop is later in the year.

--
jeff
  #8  
Old July 28th 08, 02:15 AM posted to sci.astro.amateur
George Normandin[_1_]
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Posts: 1,022
Default Stellafane


"Dennis Woos" wrote
...
Anybody going to Stellafane? ........


Dennis, et al:

The forecast is looking more like it will be "Rain-afane 2008". I suppose
we should expect it after two good years in a row. I hope that the talks are
good!

George N

  #9  
Old July 28th 08, 05:12 AM posted to sci.astro.amateur
Dennis Woos
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Posts: 559
Default Stellafane

The forecast is looking more like it will be "Rain-afane 2008". I
suppose we should expect it after two good years in a row. I hope that the
talks are good!


I hope the forecast will be proven wrong, as we are hungry for observing. We
are looking forward to wandering around at night, looking through all kinds
of scopes, and having folks show us new stuff and us showing them our
favorites. I hope to see you there - stop by the Vermont Astronomical
Society encampment which is up the hill behind the swap (swamp?!) tables. We
have a sign out.

Dennis


  #10  
Old July 28th 08, 02:30 PM posted to sci.astro.amateur
Mark S. Holden
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Posts: 24
Default Stellafane

jeff wrote:
Dennis Woos wrote:
Anybody going to Stellafane? My sons and I will be there, and are
looking forward to another great weekend of amateur astronomy. It has
been rain,rain,rain here in Vermont, but we are hopeful that we will
have gotten the rain out of our system and that 8/1-8/3 will be
wonderfully clear.

Last year we didn't bring any optics, and spent our observing time
looking through other's (mostly big) scopes. This was a useful
reminder that big is often not better! This year, I am tempted to
again roam the fields but spend more time observing with smaller and
homemade scopes. The view through a great 6" is just fine by me.

I wonder if John Dobson will be there?


John will not be here this year. His east coast loop is later in the year.


Is he still planning to travel this year? Last I'd heard he was
recovering from a stroke.

I'm guessing Stellafane dropped lower on his priority list when the
Springfield ATMS invited him to attend a couple of years ago, but told
him he wouldn't be allowed to speak.

His theory of cosmology is controversial, but I can't think of anyone
alive who has done more for the hobby of telescope making.



 




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