2003 SCT User Imaging Contest C'est Finis!

I'll take the opportunity to toast one of our own here. Mount Wilson
Observatory's new Meade LX-200 has been very well-equipped and tuned for
educational and public use by Dave Jurasevich
(http://www.mwoa.org/gale16.jpg). Dave has five images using this scope
in the new Meade catalog. With the annual CUREA program coming up, Dave
has trained four of the best of his cadre of volunteer operators in CCD
use to help us out for two weeks. They learned their lessons well --
Tom Menghini is the first place winner in the Novice CCD category of the
contest! And Tom beats the requirement of less than a years experience
by a good nine months or so. We're bustin' buttons on our parkas with
pride! Thanks for providing the opportunity, Rod!

Mike Simmons

P.S. Dave also got permission from USFS to take down the tree that was
blocking the low south view from the 16" dome. Now, where is Mars? :-)

Rod Mollise wrote:

Hi Gang:

The judges are in with their decisions as to the winners of the 2003 SCT User
mailing list Imaging Competition. I think you'll be as impressed as I was. To
see the resulting images, just go he

http://www.nexstar11.com/contest/

I think 2003's images speak highly of both the skill of the folks who obstained
them and the SCT's worth as an imaging platform.

A special thanks to this year's sponsors:

ANACORTES TELESCOPE AND WILD BIRD

ASTRONOMY MAGAZINE

ASTROTEC

RON WODASKI

SCOPETRONIX

ADAM STUART

The contest was a lot of work for Contest Chair Kevin Dixon and his panel of
judges:

Dave Cole, Michael Cunningham, and Don Wyman.

But we really appreciated their efforts--especially me, since Kevin's assuming
most of the duties associated with running the contest allowed me to goof-off
this year!

I still would like to see more entries, but based on this year's success, there
will indeed be a 2004 edition kicking off in April!

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
Like SCTs and MCTs?
Check-out sct-user, the mailing list for CAT fanciers!
Goto http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html

P.S. Dave also got permission from USFS to take down the tree that was
blocking the low south view from the 16" dome. Now, where is Mars?

Hi Mike:

Yeah! Dynamite them danged trees, I say! :-)

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
Like SCTs and MCTs?
Check-out sct-user, the mailing list for CAT fanciers!
Goto http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html

Rod Mollise wrote:


P.S. Dave also got permission from USFS to take down the tree that was
blocking the low south view from the 16" dome. Now, where is Mars?

Hi Mike:

Yeah! Dynamite them danged trees, I say! :-)

Ordinarily I'm a tree-hugger. But that tree and I were not on such
friendly terms. :-)

Mike Simmons